A New Journey to Gran Pulse
by KH-Hardcorefan4483
Summary: After Sora failed in his Mark of Mastery Exam, he decided to set his own journey to become a Keyblade Master. However he won't do this alone, with a new partner and a new summon he will explore the new world that he never imagines before and meets new allies and enemies. Warning SPOILER for KH3D. Set after the end of KH3D. Rated T for future chapters. A bit CloudxLight pairing.
1. Chapter 1 : A New Beginning

**Hey there, this is my second fanfiction and my first original story whic isn't a side story from another fanfiction. The summary already warn you, SPOILERS for KH3D. Well, anyway enjoy.**

**Note: I just realized the incorrect place, so I had to change it**

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After failed in his Mark of Mastery exam thanks to Xehanort, finally Sora decided to start his own journey in order to become a true Keyblade Master. However, there was still a problem for him and that problem was where to start first?

_Radiant Garden_

As Sora walked along the streets on Radiant Garden, his only best bet was asked the Restoration Committee members where to go next. The spiky haired boy was actually quite mad after what Xehanort had done to him, but thanks to that he could learn about the Xion's existence, remembered his meeting with Aqua when he was 5 years old, and on top of that he restored the worlds who had slept for too long back to their normal state. But still he couldn't accept the fact that Roxas had to be his nobody, '_Why he had to ended up like this? He should be able to exist as a normal person'._ Sora thought as he waked toward Merlin's house, furthermore he still wondered about Roxas's last words '_That's why it has to be you? What does that mean?' _As the spiky brunette Keybearer reached the house with a brown wooden door and many strange mechanisms on its rooftop, he entered inside.

"Another summon charm Merlin?" Leon, who was leaning against the stone wall asked Merlin, while the wizard examined the pendant like thing with the dragon head as the trinket.

"Precisely Leon, I just found this one in my magical bag, but still I don't know where it came from, hmm…" the blue robed wizard answered without even looking back at the gunblade warrior.

"So… any ideas what kind of summon is this?" the brown haired man asked him again. The situation after Sora defeated Xemnas sure had given the Radiant Garden enough time to restore its former state, but with their current situation would their peaceful time only last for a moment? It was said that when a person or creature with a strong heart lost his/her home to the darkness, the person would ended up as a summon charm if he/she refused to give in to the darkness. Even until now the Restoration Committee hadn't figured out yet where the Chicken Little, Stitch, Dumbo, and Bambi homeworlds were. Just before Merlin could answer his question, suddenly the door nearby them was opened, much for Leon's surprise except Merlin, Sora was their visitor.

"Sora? I thought you were taking your exam." Leon asked, Sora however only gave a heavy sigh."Yeah, but I failed." Hearing his answer Leon felt a bit sympathetic for him. "Oh, that's too bad Sora, sorry." Leon apologetically replied, but then Sora grinned. "But look at the bright side Leon, during my exam, I met new friends, learnt something new, and top of that me and Riku finally restored the worlds that were sleeping in the deep darkness at realm of sleep. Oh yeah! I forgot to mention why I'm here, I-"

"Say no more, my boy. I know what you want." Merlin interrupted him, making Sora turned his head to the blue robed wizard. "You want to start your own journey in order to become a true Keyblade Master, well from what I've learnt, to claim yourself as a true Keyblade Master, Mark of Mastery exam is not the only way to achieve that title, as you finally understand the true power and nature of your Keyblade, strength, and magic then you can claim yourself as one my boy."

"Yeah, but where do I have to start?" Sora asked, he was quite relieved after hearing Merlin's words, yes one didn't always have to take the Mark of Mastery exam in order to become a true Keyblade Master, he could be considered one as he fully mastered and unleashed their true potential along with his Keyblade.

"Well as for beginning, you can start from…" Just before Merlin finished his words, a spiky blonde haired man in half sleeveless shirt with a giant sword stored on his back entered the house. "Ah Cloud, what a good time." Merlin greeted, Cloud only gave him a confused look as he turned towards Leon who only shrugged at him, not having any idea what Merlin was talking about.

"Does this world have anything to do with Cloud, Merlin?" Sora asked, sure he had already traveled in many worlds with Donald and Goofy, but with Cloud? That was something new, Sora clearly remembered how he helped him during the heartless invasion, and he never thought that Cloud had many new tricks back then.

"Just go to the point Merlin. What's his problem that it has anything to do with me?" Cloud asked the wizard impatiently, after his battle with Sephiroth back at the Dark Depths, both of them were thrown into another world. Cloud was thrown back to his homeworld Gaia, but Sephiroth on the other hand was nowhere to see. And now he had to babysit a sixteen years old teenager? Couldn't his day become even worse than this?

"Now now Cloud. This world seems in a trouble with the heartless and my instinct tells me that they are searching the Keyhole of this world, but this world also has a connection with your homeworld Gaia. It seems that there's an unknown type of phenomena that almost similar with your Geostigma disease back in your homeworld. However this phenomena also grants the unique power to the victim, so they can use unusual magic powers." Merlin explained the SOLDIER calmly.

"So what are they called Merlin?" Leon asked the wizard first before Sora even got a chance to ask.

"L'Cie brands, I don't have any information about them, but as far as I know, the people who have this l'Cie title are treated differently than normal humans and they can use special powers, but also they are given some kind of task that hey must accomplish, that's all I know." Merlin answered. Sora was very excited after hearing this, new world to visit, and this time traveling with Cloud? Surely this would be a whole new experience for him. On the other hand Cloud was in his deep thought, was this l'Cie thing that Sephiroth was after?

"So what's the name of this new world?" Sora asked, Merlin then turned his head to the Keybearer. "Gran Pulse and Cocoon, they are actually two worlds inside a one atmosphere, and this world shares many similarities with Gaia. Hmm and judging from my hunch, maybe the person that you're looking for is there, that's why I want you to go with Sora, Cloud." Hearing his answer, Cloud only nodded at Merlin silently. If that meant finding Sephiroth, he would do it so he could settle things once and for all.

"Sora, I've asked Cid to put the coordinates of this new world, so you can easily find it on your Gummi Ship radar." Leon said from the computer room, while Cid tinkered his unusual computer.

"Okay, I guess we better go now. Thanks for the info Merlin, and see ya later Leon." Sora gratefully replied them. As they walked away to the door, Merlin stopped Sora, while Cloud kept walking to the Gummi Ship.

"What's wrong Merlin? Forgot something?" Sora confusedly asked. "Yes Sora, I want you to have this (shows him the new summon charm that he examined before)." Merlin replied as he gave Sora the new summon charm. "This one is called Bahamut, Sora, treat him well just like Chicken Little and the others, okay?"

"Bahamut? As in the Dragon King Bahamut?" Leon asked Merlin back surprisingly. The Bahamut was known as the strong summon for battle use, but it had a quite not so good terms when dealing with humans. Merlin nodded at him, while Sora looked confused.

"Err, Leon what is this Bahamut like?" Sora asked the gunblade warrior.

"Bahamut is a summon creature that takes a form of gigantic dragon, it can be quite useful at the battle but sometimes a bit difficult to handle due of its dislike with humans. But then again, you already knew how to use many summon charms and you even befriended with them. Who knows? Maybe Bahamut will become one of your best friends too Sora." Leon reassuringly answered while patting his shoulder. Hearing his answer, Sora gave him a thumb up before he went to back to his Gummi Ship where Cloud waited for him.

"Took you long enough." Cloud said as he finally saw Sora entered the ship where he already waited for him inside.

"Sorry for late Cloud. Now, shall we go?" Sora asked, again Cloud only nodded at him silently before they finally left the Radiant Garden for their new journey on Gran Pulse and Cocoon.

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_Castle That Never Was – Where Nothing Gathers_

Twelve figures sat on their own respective throne; however only four of them whose faces were exposed. One of them was the dark skinned teenager who had silver hair and yellow eyes, while the other was the dark skinned man in about thirty years old with long silver hair and yellow eyes, and the other one was same as him, except his skin was lighter and he had two bangs in his hair. The last one who was sitting in the highest throne was a bald dark skinned old man who had a goatee and wore a black trench coat.

"So, one of those lights finally started his own journey I see." The old one said.

"That's right, Master Xehanort, but he's not alone this time." The young one replied him.

"Don't worry Xehanort, soon or later he'll fall into our hands, but it seems we won't play any role for him this time." Master Xehanort said to his younger parallel version. The others were quite shocked after hearing his words, just left Sora like that? Did their master really know what he was doing?

"But Master, we shouldn't leave him off from our eyes; you know how strong he is to take us down before." The dark skinned man with long silver hair objected him.

"Even when I used my artificial Kingdom Hearts, I still couldn't beat him and Riku." The other one added.

"Relax, that witch already sent her lackey to do everything for us, this time we'll just sit down and watch. Do you understand Ansem and Xemnas?" Master Xehanort replied, referring to Maleficent and Pete. Hearing his reasonable answer, Xemnas and Ansem nodded at their new Organization XIII superior.

"This should be interesting, let's see how you will through this one, Sora." Master Xehanort said for last time before the whole room was filled with sinister and evil laughs.

* * *

_Gran Pulse - Vallis Media – Base Camp_

After the exhausting battle with Alexander Eidolon, Hope finally realized that Eidolons only gave the l'Cie life or death trial in order to resolve themselves. Hope was worried if he only slowed down Lightning, Snow, Sazh, Vanille, and Fang, but his Eidolon didn't agree with him and emerged from his l'Cie brand. Thanks to Lightning who made Hope understand the other meaning of Eidolons appearance.

"That's some beast that you tamed, I'll tell you that." Sazh said to the young teenager.

"Yeah. I always thought the Eidolons appeared to set us free through death. But now... I think maybe they're here to snap us out of our slumps." Hope heavily replied him, still exhausted after the battle.

"Oh. Like the one you were just in?" Snow jokingly asked.

"I'll ask for help earlier next time around." Hope replied. Hearing his reply, Vanille began to approach the silver haired teenager.

"I told you. On Gran Pulse, we're all family. You can moan all you like, but you're stuck with us." Vanille reassuringly told him, she didn't want to see Hope all alone, especially after he had lost his mother back at Hanging Edge.

"You're never alone in hell." Sazh said, referring the Gran Pulse in a funny way.

"Listen, funnyman, don't call this place hell, all right? " Fang replied the afro haired man irritably, she couldn't accept the insult about the Gran Pulse, the place where she and Vanille born and lived together.

"So, we're all decided then? " Lightning asked to the others about continuing their journey. "Yeah" Fang replied.

"Let's go!" Hope said. Just as they walked away, Vanille suddenly realized the two lights that were falling down from the sky not too far from their current position. Gasping at the sudden phenomena, Vanille quickly called the others.

"Wait! Everyone, look at that!" Vanille shouted as she pointed two beams of light. Everyone was surprised as they looked at the lights that began to fade away. "What was that?" Fang asked first, she had seen many things back then at Gran Pulse before, but she never saw anything like two beams of light that fell from the sky.

"Those lights are not from Cocoon, that means those lights are something else." Lightning told the others calmly, although in fact she was actually quite curious too.

"We should check it out, they shouldn't be too far from here" Hope suggested, everyone gave him a nod as they ran to find the source of those lights. Little did they know that their adventure would be even more than just saving their world and get rid their l'Cie brands. But instead, they would face the new enemies, allies and many more.

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**How was it? Please review and give me your comments. And yeah I gave Sora a Bahamut as the new summon. Originally Bahamut was planned to appear as the strongest summon in 1st Kingdom Hearts game, but it was cancelled due of the deadline :-(**


	2. Chapter 2 : Arrival and a Warm Welcome

**Just finished Chapter 11 and 12 from the FFXIII game, so I already have the idea how this story will continue on. Anyway enjoy the new chapter.**

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After watching the strange lights that fell down from the sky, Lightning, Hope, Sazh, Snow, Vanille, and Fang went to see out what happened. As they walked through the valley that not too far from their base camp, they found something interesting that they ever saw only in plushies or dolls, but not the real creature itself. It was a Moogle, a Moogle who was building a stand like wanted to open a shop or something. Vanille who saw the Moogle quickly approach then hugged him tightly, giving the poor Moogle a hard time to breathe.

"Oh my a Moogle, look how cute you are. I think I'm gonna squeeze you veeery tight." Vanille exclaimed , while the others only looked her confusedly. For the their surprise, the Moogle suddenly talked to her with their language.

"Don't hug me too tight kupo! I've had enough with Pinocchio who always touch my pom-pom back at the Traverse town. Why does everyone want to touch it kupo?!" The Moogle told her irritably, Vanille who was surprised with the talking Moogle quickly released it from her**_ 'almost give you a death'_** hug.

"You… you can talk?" Hope asked with confused look as well as the others.

"Of course we can talk, kupo. And I have a name too, it's Mog from the RGWTS." Mog proudly answered the teenager.

"RGWTS? What's that" Snow asked the Moogle shopkeeper. Moogles in their world usually came as one of the most favorite dolls beside Chocobo, Cactuar, and Tonberry, but a living Moogle who joined a society? That was totally new.

"RGWTS stands for Radiant Garden World Trading Society kupo. We open shops and sell many things to the people, mostly to the travelers kupo. Oh, and we also open the synthesis workshop where we can create many items from the materials that our customers gave to us kupo." The Moogle explained. Hearing his explanation, the others only looked at each other confusedly (except Lightning) until Sazh approached Mog.

"So... what do you little guys sell eh?" Sazh asked, making Mog flew at the same height as Sazh's face. "Many things, we sell potions, ethers, elixirs, and many armors and accessories, even weapons kupo. I can show you the list in case you are interested kupo." he then flew back to his shop and searched for the items list sheet. However as he searched for it...

"No thanks for this time, but tell me what makes you think you'll find a customer here, Mog?" Hope asked again.

"Just a merchant's hunch. I have a feeling one of my best customers will come to me kupo." Mog answered while still searching his items list sheet, ignoring the fact that Hope already turned down his offer.

Frustrated with her comrades who forgot with their first objective, finally Lightning began to remind the others.

"Don't forget our first priority, focus with the lights first." Lightning said in her now commanding tone. Hearing her words, the others quickly snapped out from their talking Moogle thoughts and followed her back. Just before everyone went away, Hope looked at the Moogle merchant for the last time.

"Sorry for leaving you like this Mog, maybe we'll talk again later." Hope apologized then ran to catch up with Lightning and the others. Mog only gave them a confused look as they went away.

"What a bunch of strange people, and I just got this Ultima Mk. III recipe kupo. Ah well, back to work, maybe I'll see him again and make a quite profit kupo." Mog said, referring Sora, his number one customer before he rearranged his goods and belongings for his shop.

Meanwhile, back to Cloud and Sora…

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_Gran Pulse - The Archylte Steppe_

Sora and Cloud finally put their first step after landing from the teleportation light from the Gummi Ship. As Sora and Cloud checked their surroundings, Sora was quite amazed while Cloud only kept his cool. They landed in the middle of a very wide prairie where they could saw many wild creatures, but the one that was quite hard for them to miss was the gigantic brontosaurus like monster which had tusks almost like the elephants and a hard shell on their back just like the turtles, the gigantic Pulse local creatures oretoises.

"Whoa… this place is sooo… cool." Sora exclaimed as he looked at the gigantic creatures.

Cloud sighed as he looked how childish Sora is "Listen Sora, we're here to find Sephiroth and seal this world's Keyhole. You can do anything you want after this is all over." Cloud said in his cold but yet calm tone. Sora who heard what he just said began to upset.

"Aww come on Cloud, you're too serious in things, you know. Sometimes we need a fun time too. Let's just enjoy this for a moment Cloud, I know that you actually want it too." Sora pleaded to Cloud. Even Leon wasn't too serious as him and sometimes he had a joyful side too. Couldn't stand anymore with his pleading, finally Cloud reluctantly nodded.

"Fine, just don't get too far and lost, I'm not here for babysit you Sora." Cloud calmly replied him. "Got it, that's enough for me. Come on Cloud, let's take a look first." Sora cheerfully replied back. Finally settled with their argument, Sora walked in front of Cloud. Little did Sora know, Cloud smiled a bit '_To think I was defeated by this kid more than once back then, but maybe his cheerful side is what makes him to keep on and not giving up. Maybe this was the reason why the Keyblade had chosen him._' As they walked in the pasture, they came across a familiar creature, a giant golden feathered bird which almost looked like an ostrich but had chicken more appearance with two sided bangs from its head.

"KWEH!"

"A chocobo?! I thought they were only from my homeworld. Huh?!" Both of them looked each other confusedly after said the same thing at the same time.

"You had chocobos in your homeworld? I thought they were only from Destiny Islands, Cloud." Sora asked him while petting its neck, but Cloud only shook his head.

"No, back in my homeworld Gaia, chocobos are used as the transportation for rough terrain or as racing animals. Usually they come in yellow color, but there are many rare chocobos with black or golden color. But I have to admit, I have never seen this kind of chocobo before." Cloud explained while petting one of chocobo's side bangs. Hearing his explanation, Sora began to think _'Then, where are the chocobos actually originated?' _he remembered how it was when he was five; his parents always took him to the zoo only to see the chocobos. However, as he was in his thought...

"WARK!" The chocobo suddenly jumped and screamed in panic, catching them off guard and ran away from the two.

"What's wrong with it? Why did it suddenly run away?" Sora asked, however Cloud only drew his fusion sword and entered his battle stance. "It means, there's a predator or maybe more than one nearby to hunt it. Careful, we already have the its smell on our clothes."

"Don't worry I got your back." Sora said as he summoned his Kingdom Key and readied his battle stance too. As they looked for their enemies, suddenly many wolf like creatures with unusual shaped head and spiked body ran towards them and encircled them, they were gorgonopsids, the one of Pulse feral creatures that always hunted in groups.

Cloud began his first move by swinging his sword to scare one of the gorgonopsids, but instead scaring it, the gorgonopsid became angrier and tried to attack him with its claws which was easily dodged by Cloud. Sora on the other hand tried to bluff them using the **Firaga** shield magic, but the spinning fire around his body only made them even angrier same as before and tried to attack Sora together. Just before they could touch him, Sora immediately cast **Reflega** spell which knocked them out including the one who was fighting with Cloud with the hexagonal energy shield.

"Phew, that was close. You're okay Cloud?" Sora asked the blond warrior who then looked at him and nodded. The gorgonopsids that finally woke up after been knocked out by **Reflega** began to back step and finally ran away from the duo. "Well, that should give them a lesson for not to mess with us." Sora said in his cheerful and a bit cocky tone. Just before they could continue, suddenly they heard a big roar sound, for their surprise many purple monstrous feral beasts ran after them and surrounded them just like the gorgonopsids did with them.

"Behemoths? So they are in this world too huh? But I never have seen this one before." Cloud said, a bit surprised with the their sudden appearances. Now he finally understood why Merlin told him that this world seemed to have any connection with Gaia, because the creatures here were almost similar with the ones from Gaia albeit a bit different. But now they were finally in a big trouble, surrounded by five Behemoth Kings and there was no path to escape from them, they had to fight them.

"Arrrgh, I've had enough with these things, take THIS!" a fireball formed at the tip of Sora's Keyblade. As the fireball grew larger, Sora then swung his Keyblade, creating a huge explosion from his **Mega** **Flare** magic and threw away all of the Behemoth Kings while they were engulfed in fire from the explosion. Cloud who saw it only smiled a bit _'No wonder this kid could defeat me. He could beat all of those Behemoths only in a single attack.'_

Meanwhile back to Lightning and the others…

As Lightning and the others finally arrived at Archylte Steppe, the others except Vanille and Fang were quite surprised with the view, they never thought that Pulse would be this beautiful instead of hellish and scary as they always had been told back in Cocoon. "Whoa, after this is all over, I have to tell dad about this." Hope exclaimed, referring to his dad Bartholomew Estheim who finally came in a good relationship with his son after the events back at Palumpolum. Just before they could continue on, Fang suddenly noticed something that fell (or thrown away) from the sky toward them.

"Everyone! Look out!" Fang warned, making them turned their attention to the blue robed Oerban who pointed at the sky. They quickly realized that there was something that fell down toward them. Fang, Vanille, Snow, and Sazh quickly moved away while Lightning grabbed Hope's hand and moved away from the meteor like thing that fell toward them.

After all of them finally moved away, the meteor finally made an impact to the ground, creating a quite huge shockwave and a hole that was not wider than ten meters in radius and much thick dust. After the dusts faded away so they could see things clearer, much for everyone surprise, the meteor was none other than a Behemoth King that already dead burnt. Fang took the first step to check if the Behemoth was still alive or not.

"Unbelievable..." Fang said in disbelieve as she turned her head to the others. "This Behemoth is already dead, but what is that strong enough to make it ended up like this?" Fang asked the others who only gave her a shrug until Lightning answered, "Those lights, what else it can be?"

"Come on, they couldn't be too far from here." Hope said as everyone looked at their surroundings. Not too long after that, Sazh finally noticed the crowd of Behemoth Kings that gathered in one place.

"Hey, uhh do you think that answers our question earlier?" Sazh said as he pointed to the direction where many Behemoths gathered.

Lightning and the others ran towards the Behemoth group to find what they are fighting, as they finally made to the group, they ran up to the higher plain so they could see the middle of the group unnoticed by the Behemoths. Everyone's eyes widened. They found two people, a spiky haired boy in black jacket and baggy pants with a pair of large shoes who wielded a giant key like weapon and a spiky haired man in half sleeveless black clothes who wielded a massive broadsword were surrounded by the Behemoths. Hope immediately wanted to help them but Lightning stopped him from doing such a reckless action "Not yet, we have to wait for the right moment" Lightning said in her calm soldier tone. "Geez, those creatures surely have picked up an unfair fight." Sazh added.

"Huh? Hey look what is that blondie doing?" Fang asked as she pointed at Cloud who was charging Fusion Sword with blue energy.

Blue flames began to surround Cloud's body as he readied again his battle position, "Now!" Cloud shouted and began to move very fast like a light which left blue trails toward two Behemoths and slashed them many times by using his **Omnislash**, after finished his attacks, Cloud slammed his fusion sword, creating a shockwave that knocked the two Behemoths unconscious. Sora on the other hand had a quite hard time due of one Behemoth held his Keyblade with its mouth while Sora was struggling against it. Remembered that he could re-summon his Keyblade, Sora released his hands from the Keyblade's grip and took a back step before he re-summoned his Kingdom Key. However unexpected by Sora and Cloud, three remained Behemoths began to stand up like a human and picked their middle horn which transformed into a chainsaw like weapon.

"These guys are sure giving us a hard time, DRIVE! VALOR FORM!" as Sora yelled as a flash of light began to cover his clothes then turned it red with fleur-de-lis symbols. Finally entered his Valor Form, Sora summoned his second Keyblade Oathkeeper and began to change his battle stance. Three Behemoths began to attack Sora at once, but Sora easily dodged their attacks and gave one of them rentless attacks on its chest and finished it with **Brave Shot** which knocked it away from him. Now even madder than before, another Behemoth swung its saw weapon to Sora, but Sora blocked it with his dual Keyblades and pushed the Behemoth backward with his immense strength thanks to his Valor Form. He then high jumped to the Behemoth's back and gave it a surprise attack **Ars** **Arcanum** by using one of his Keyblades and knocked the Behemoth unconscious. The final Behemoth then tried to make Sora off balance by smashing the grounds with its chainsaw, however thanks to his quick reflexes Sora managed to **Duo** **Strike** **Raid** the last Behemoth before it slammed the ground, making it ended up like the four other Behemoths. As Sora finished the last Behemoth King, his clothes finally revered to normal from his Valor Drive.

Lightning, Hope, Snow, Sazh, Vanille, and Fang couldn't believe with what they just saw, two people fought against five Behemoths with unusual powers and win? Only one explanation that was possible for them, they were l'Cie too just like them.

"What a power!" Hope exclaimed after watched how they fought the Behemoth Kings without getting any scratch "Are they l'Cie too?"

"Is that boy some kind of monster or what? Took down those big bad baddies that easily, and what's wrong with his weapons? Those are like giant keys for me." Sazh added after watched how Sora fought the three Behemoth Kings during his Valor Form.

Without wasting any time, Lightning and the others ran to see these two newcomers, they finally could see clearly that the spiky haired boy was older than Hope, but still a bit younger than Vanille, while the spiky blonde haired guy had a quite resemblance with Lightning in expression. At first Sora and Cloud still readied their weapons in case they would be attacked again, but when Sora saw their new companions, he quickly dismissed his Keyblade."Who are you guys?" Sora asked, while Cloud only stored his Fusion Sword back and said nothing.

"We should the ones who ask you that, who the hell are you? And what are you doing here?" Lightning asked them in her stern soldier tone.

"Are you guys l'Cie too?" Hope asked.

"Uhh, where should we start? It's a long story." Sora confusedly replied, not sure where he had to start about his journey.

"We are here for our personal matters, and that doesn't concern you. And to answer that kid's question we aren't." Cloud answered in his cold and yet calm tone to Lightning. Unsatisfied with his answer, Lightning began to have a dislike with Cloud's personality.

"Cloud, maybe we started this in a wrong way. Maybe we should introduces ourselves first to straighten things up." Sora said to Cloud.

"I agree with that kid if you ask me." Sazh said, agreed with Sora. Would these new companions become the new allies for both of their own goal or just slowing them down from reach it?

* * *

**Do you think I should add Cloud x Light pairing? I've read many FFVIIxFFXIII crossovers and there are so many of them, please answer it in your review and wait for the next chapter. Oh and I'll tell you one thing, I will add the sign of villains in the next chapter.**


	3. Chapter 3 : Strangers

**Sorry for the late update, after read the reviews, I decided to put CloudxLightning pairing. However I'm not too good at writing romance, so I'll add a slight of them for the beginning. Anyway enjoy.**

* * *

After defeating ten Behemoth Kings back at the Archylte Steppe thanks to the chocobo's special fragrance on their clothes, Sora and Cloud met their new companions. Didn't want to be bothered by the strangers on their mission, Cloud answered their questions instead of Sora. However Lightning who wasn't satisfied with his answer began to take a dislike with Cloud. Didn't want to prolong the trouble after what they had been through, Sora tried to reassure Cloud to start again from the right way.

_Gran Pulse – Vallis Media – Base Camp_

As the group finally came to terms before more bad thing happened, they decided to bring their two new guests to their camp and discussed their problem as well as Cloud's and Sora's. After a bit moment of silence, Snow decided to introduce himself to Sora and Cloud.

"Okay, so let's start this again from beginning, okay? I'm Snow, Snow Villiers." The tallest man from the group introduced himself first to Sora and Cloud.

"Sazh Katzroy and this is Chocobo." The man with afro hair introduced himself as the small chocobo chick from his afro hair jumped out and cripped above his head.

"Hope Estheim, nice to meet you." The youngest from the group politely introduced himself.

"I'm Vanille, Oerba Dia Vanille." The redheaded girl cheerfully introduced herself too.

"Fang, Oerba Yun Fang, and that pinky one is Lightning" The woman in blue sari casually introduced while pointing at Lightning who only kept her cool.

"Lightning Farron." The soldier woman in pinky hair finally introduced her full name in her calm soldier tone. Finally Sora and Cloud introduced themselves to the group.

"I'm Sora, just Sora." Sora said in his usual friendly tone.

"Name's Cloud, Cloud Strife." Cloud said in his usual calm tone. Vanille and Fang couldn't help but wonder how similar he and Lighting in terms of manners and expressions.

"Vanille, do you think he's Sunshine's long lost brother or something?" Fang whispered to Vanille.

"Um, dunno, maybe? They share the almost same traits for each other." Vanille whispered back.

"Well, in any other way, he's quite hot for me and just looking at him is kinda seeing the male counterpart of Sunshine." Fang replied again.

"So Cloud, is your name same as Lightning over here? Lightning is just her codename, her real name? Anybody guesses." Snow playfully asked to Cloud who seemed didn't take any interest from his question.

"Cloud is my real name, any problems with that?" Cloud answered in his now stern tone, everyone in the group except Sora began to think how similar this Cloud guy with Lightning, in manner of speaking, expressions, even their poses were quite similar, crossing the hands while leaning against wall.

"So what made you two became those behemoths favorites eh? They didn't even notice our presences earlier." Sazh asked to the two, remembering how they had been targeted by the Behemoth Kings.

"Well, uh we found a chocobo back at the plains and maybe its smell was shared to us, actually before those behemoths attacked us, we were attacked by many strange looking wolves with spikes on their skins." Sora answered, starting from the way they found the chocobo, got attacked by gorgonopsids and then by Behemoth Kings.

"Wait! One behemoth was fallen down from the sky when we were looking for what happened back at the plains, was it you?" Fang asked after remembered one Behemoth King that almost crushed them from the sky although it was already dead burnt.

"Tch, looks like you really overdone it Sora." Cloud said to Sora, everyone then look at him disbelieve. Just before Fang could ask again, Cloud already pointed at Sora. "Yes, the five Behemoths before were caused by this kid."

"Unbelievable! Sora was the one who had thrown those FIVE behemoths? And when we arrived you were fighting five of them! That sums ten in total! There's no way that you guys aren't l'Cie!" Hope exclaimed, even with their power to use magic, one Behemoth King already gave them a quite trouble, but two people against ten Behemoth Kings in total? Even Lightning almost couldn't believe with what Cloud just said.

"Look, it's like what Cloud just said, we aren't l'Cie." Sora said, having no idea that the six people in front of him were the l'Cie that Merlin told them before.

"Then how did you do that? Throwing out Behemoths like they were your toys?" Sazh asked.

Didn't have any idea how to explain it, Sora stretched his right hand, suddenly a Keyblade started to materialize in a flash of light, shocking everyone (except Cloud) especially Vanille who was the closest with Sora while Lightning only saw it confusedly.

"This is my weapon, it's called a Keyblade. This Keyblade enhances my strength and it lets me to use many special skills like the **Mega** **Flare** that I used to beat five Behemoths before. And as for my magic capabilities, I had been taught before, so as long as I know how to do it, I can use it for defending, attacking, and even healing when in battle." Sora explained, while Snow only looked at the Keyblade intriguingly

"Hey Sora, care to show me one or two tricks with this Keyblade of yours? Don't worry I'll go easy to ya." Snow requested. Sazh, Fang, Vanille, and Hope quite shocked with what he just said, however Sora took his challenge like it was a game for him.

"Sure, why not? Let's do it over there." Sora replied while pointing a large area that not too far from their current place, however Snow didn't realize that he just made a grave mistake as Cloud and Lightning only shook their heads.

"See? They are very same in everything for me." Fang whispered again to Vanille.

"Yeah, hey maybe he's a destined partner for Lightning, don't you agree Fang?" Vanille slowly whispered back to Fang's ear.

"(_Sigh) _I think you read too much fairy tales Vanille, but I have to admit maybe you're right." Fang replied as they went away to the area that Sora pointed before.

As the they watched Snow and Sora readied his battle stance, Lightning felt a bit irritated, not because Snow challenged a sixteen years old teenager to fight but how Serah, her sister could pick a man like Snow to be her fiancée. As Lightning was in her thought about how stupid Snow was, Cloud approached her from the side while the others only sat down on the grass.

"_(Sigh) _That fool, he just made a grave mistake." Cloud said with a bit irritated in his voice.

"Yeah, now I feel a bit bad for that boy, I should have punched that idiot on his face again for that." Lightning replied, now feeling a bit sympathetic for Sora.

"You mean Sora? No I mean your friend Snow, he really has no idea of what Sora can capable of." Hearing Cloud's reply, Lightning turned her head to Cloud, surprised by what Cloud just said about Sora.

"What do you mean?" Lightning asked once again.

"Well, believe it or not, Sora had defeated me more than once." Cloud replied in his calm tone, he remembered his fight with Sora many times and had lost about three times back at Hercules Cup once and Hades Paradox Cup twice. Lightning, Sazh, Hope, Vanille, and Fang who just heard his reply couldn't believe it, Sora had defeated Cloud more than once? Even for Lightning herself after watched how Cloud fought the Behemoths could judge that Cloud was definitely stronger than her. _'That kid could defeat this guy more than once? Heh, now I wonder how he' gonna kick that idiot's butt.'_ Lightning thought as she began to take an interest with Sora's fighting capability.

"No way! That kid had defeated you more than once? Man, now I'm the one who's starting to feel bad with Snow." Sazh said after heard Cloud's reply about Sora.

"Cloud, is he really that strong?" Hope asked.

"Very much, he may look a bit stupid sometimes, but trust me he's a good fighter, even when teamed up with Leon, Tifa, and Yuffie, we still couldn't defeat him." Cloud replied after remembered the semifinal round back at Hades Paradox Cup, with no partners, summons restriction, and Drive Forms restriction.

"Whoa… now I wonder if Snow could handle him, I hope Sora won overdo it with him." Hope worriedly said about Snow's safety after heard Cloud's explanation.

* * *

_Somewhere in Cocoon…_

Three shadowy figures stood in a middle room, discussing about something, one figure had a big tummy and cat like appearance, while the other looked like a woman with magic staff and horns on her heads, and the last one looked like a priest in overall appearance.

"So this Keyblade wielder… is he's a new obstacle for me?" One figure asked.

"Yep, but this little brat isn't alone Dysl… errr I mean Barthandelus, this time he's with a dude who also has unusual powers." The big one said to the first figure who was none other than Primarch Galenth Dysley who was actually a fal'Cie Barthandelus in disguise after manipulated almost all Cocoon residents for believing the l'Cie as the monsters who would threaten the safety of Cocoon, despite their still human being.

"Hmph, don't worry Pete, I already have many plans for them too, but tell me Maleficent, why did you and Pete warn me about this? They aren't l'Cie at all, how these two become the threat for me?" Barthandelus asked to two other figures who were revealed none other than Maleficent and her lackey Pete, the sworn enemies for the Keyblade Masters ever since 10 years ago before Sora and Riku became the Keyblade wielders.

"Why? Well they may not l'Cie, but they still have a power that you shouldn't underestimate Barthandelus, especially that boy, however I will give you one thing before you face them, a power to control the heartless." The witch warned the Fal'Cie. As she finished her words, she began to aim her staff towards Barthandelus, and then suddenly a strange black and green aura began to glow within Barthandelus's body.

"So, this is the power to control the heartless huh? I already have my Cie'th to do that kind of job, but I appreciate your gift Maleficent." The Primarch thanked the witch "Yes, but remember, the heartless could consume your heart if you don't maintain yourself strong, many people who already experienced it ended up being consumed by their own heartless." Maleficent warned him once again.

"Humph, like the Fal'Cie has a weak heart to be consumed by them, so are we done here?" Barthandelus asked once again.

"Indeed, I shall take my leave, but Pete, you remain here. Watch Sora and his friends and report to me if they managed to find this world's keyhole." Maleficent ordered Pete before she left in black and green flames.

"Aye-aye ma'am, ya can trust this to mighty Captain Pete." The big cat replied "Now then, what shall we do new pal? Ambush them wit heartless? Turned many creatures in this world into a heartless army for us or…"

"We'll wait Pete; wait for the l'Cie and this Keybearer until they reach Oerba." Barthandelus replied him calmly.

* * *

**Right, next chapter we will have the sky versus the snow. Do you think I made a good start for CloudxLightning? Please review and comment so I could improve for next chapter, and yeah I gave Barthandelus a power to control the heartless. I don't know if the Fal'Cie has any heart, but considering he could take a form of human, he should be.**

**For those who don't know who is Leon, he is actually Squall Leonheart from FFVIII. In Kingdom Hearts he changed his name into Leon.**


	4. Chapter 4 : The Fight

**Okay, so this is the chapter 4 where we will have some actions, enjoy.**

* * *

Snow was intrigued with Sora's combat capability, so he decided to put Sora on a test in strength by dueling him which was accepted by Sora. Lightning and Cloud who had a bit dislike each other before, finally had the same thought for the first time that Snow was really stupid with a bit different point of view. Meanwhile Maleficent and Pete who always became the trouble for the Keyblade Wielder, finally arrived at the Gran Pulse on Cocoon as well in search for the world's keyhole, however knowing that Sora already had the new allies, they leagued with the Cocoon's leader, Primarch Galenth Dysley who was actually a Fal'Cie named Barthandelus in disguise. Barthandelus was given the power by Maleficent for controlling the heartless in order to stop Sora with his friends with her lackey Pete. Little did they know that every single of their actions was watched by the new Organization XIII.

_Castle that Never Was – The Grey Area_

Xemnas walked inside the grey area in order to find Master Xehanort as well as his younger reincarnation from another dimension, he was told to meet with Master Xehanort first because he would be given a new mission for him. As he walked inside, he finally found Master Xehanort as well his younger self beside him.

"Xemnas, I've been expecting you." The superior greeted him.

"Is anything wrong Master?" the ex-superior asked him.

"Not at all, it's just that I still haven't given up yet to make Sora as our 13th vessel, so I have a simple mission for you and Xehanort." Master Xehanort answered his question as Xemnas looked over Young Xehanort who responded his answer.

"We'll listen."

"It seems Sora already gained new allies as well as new enemies from that world. What I want you two to do are simple, spy him until he finally finds the keyhole of that world and locks it. Then you can trap him again with the darkness once again." He explained to the two.

"But last time we attempted to do that, we were disturbed by his friend Riku and the King and his lackeys. Are you sure about this?" Young Xehanort asked him back.

"No need to worry about them anymore, this time I'll make sure that they won't interfere again. Now go!" As the dark Keyblade Master finished his words, Xemnas along with Xehanort vanished in a portal of darkness.

"Hmmm, just one more step to take control one of the seven lights, and finally with the plan that I have formulated, it's only a matter of time before I can forge the X-Blade again." Master Xehanort said before he evilly laughed again.

Meanwhile back to Sora and his friends…

* * *

_Archlyte Steppe – Central Expanse _

"Hey kid no need to rush, I'll go easy for ya." Snow said as he and Sora readied their battle position.

"Don't call me a kid, well… huh?!" Sora shockingly replied before he saw a strange or maybe more than one thing began to form behind Snow.

"Snow! Look out!" Vanille warned as Snow turned his head to direction that Vanille pointed only to get a heavy punch on his jaw that sent him flying to the group, Sora, Cloud, Lightning, Fang, Vanille, Sazh, and Hope were surprised as they looked at the Snow's attacker.

It was a massive creature with black skin. Its entire body was wrapped in teal thorns, and both of its wrists and ankles still had manacles on them. The chains on its arms were broken, but the chain connecting its feet was not. It also had a heart-shaped hole in its chest. The being had a large, red, toothy maw and beady, glowing yellow eyes. While it was muscular and had large hands and feet, it also had rather thin limbs. Each of its limbs sported three digits with long, red claws, and it also had two enormous, orange horns and a massive, orange mane. It was the heartless that Sora fought back at the Beast's Castle, the Dark Thorn.

"A heartless? Here?" Sora was surprised, he didn't expect that he would encounter heartless again in this new world. However as he looked back to the group, he was surprised even more that there was more than one Dark Thorn as he saw Cloud, Lightning, Fang, Vanille, Hope, and Sazh fought another Dark Thorn too while protecting Snow who was still unconscious from the Dark Thorn's punch.

**(Desire for All That Is Lost – Kingdom Hearts II)**

As Sora prepared his Keyblade in hands, the Dark Thorn began to turn invisible, giving Sora a disadvantage fighting it. As he looked around his surroundings, suddenly many junks from Pulse's remnants began to glow in dark aura and grew many fleshes and limbs, creating a gigantic claw of darkness to attack Sora. Sora then prepared his **Reflega** spell to deflect its attack, but for his surprise, the claw suddenly vanished from his sight, unexpected by Sora, the Dark Thorn's gigantic claw reappeared behind him, caught him off guard and hit him by its gigantic claw swing. As Sora finally regained his balance from the last attack, Sora began to use his **Firaga** **Burst** magic to attack the areas around him. As the fireball formed on the tip of the Keyblade, Sora then gave an upper swing, sending the giant fireball to the air, making it rained down several small fireballs. As the fireball rained down, Sora could hear a pain scream, it was the Dark Thorn that finally reverted to its normal shape only with burning hands from the **Firaga** **Burst**. Now angered from the last attack, the Dark Thorn lunge Sora rentlessly, however as Sora guarded its rentless assault, he still took the heats and burns from its burning hands, at one side he finally made his enemy visible, but on the other hand, he also made it even more dangerous for him. "DRIVE! WISDOM FORM!" As Sora shouted, his clothes began to glow white and then turned into blue with flame motif on the shoulder, now finally in his Wisdom Form, Sora attacked the Dark Thorn repeatedly by using his **Blizzaga** magic to freeze its burning hands. The trick was successful, but again the Dark Thorn turned invisible and tried to possess another junks to form another being, but this time Sora managed to cast **Magnega **spell, lifting and gathering all junks around him and destroying them into dusts before the Dark Thorn could possess them.

Meanwhile Cloud and the others weren't in the good shape as Sora, they had a quite hard time as they never encountered Dark Thorn heartless before. As they encircled around to watch each other's back, suddenly the Dark Thorn appeared before Hope, smashed him off from the group to join with the unconscious Snow before it turned invisible again. "Hope! Damn, you won't get away with this." Angered by what the Dark Thorn had just done with Hope, Lightning left the encircled group to fight it by herself. "Lightning! Don't do such a reckless thing!" Vanille warned her worriedly, but Lightning didn't care, as she charged the Dark Thorn that finally reappeared before her, she stabbed it with her gunblade. Much for her surprise, her attack missed, the Dark Thorn jumped behind her before turned invisible again, now switching her Blazefire Saber into gun mode, Lightning began to look around her while she aimed her gun in case the Dark Thorn reappeared again. Cloud who was still in the encircled group began to think how reckless Lightning was, leaving the group to fight an invisible enemy alone just because one of her friends was attacked. _'Is she completely mad or something? Fighting this enemy alone is very reckless as we don't have the same experience as Sora, she should have kept her cool even though her comrade was attacked.'_ Cloud thought as he began to leave the group too, "Hey Spiky! What are you doing?! Are you crazy?!" Fang shouted as Cloud left the group to watch Lightning's back before she did any reckless actions.

Back with Sora, after he destroyed every single of the junks with his **Magnega** magic, the Dark Thorn had nothing left to possess except fighting Sora directly, growled with anger and madness, the heartless charged to Sora to attack him. Still in his Wisdom Form, Sora could only shoot it continuously, however the shots seemed didn't give it any effects as he frequently dodged the Dark Thorn's attacks with his _Quick_ _Run_ ability_. 'This is useless, I have to think another way to fight it, but with different strategy as this isn't Beast's Castle.' _Sora thought as he dismissed his Keyblade and reverted his Wisdom Form back to normal, as the heartless charged again at him; Sora readied his newly summoned Keyblade: Hero's Crest to defend himself. The heartless swung its gigantic claw to Sora, but this time for its surprise, the Keybearer didn't move even for an inch from its attack, the Keyblade was stronger than his Kingdom Key that increased Sora's physical strength. Now been locked at each other, Sora finally pushed the heartless back and sent it flying by using upper slash, however Sora didn't stop at that, he jumped at the same height as the Dark Thorn and slashed it rentlessly and finished it using aerial finish. As Sora landed beside the fallen heartless, a heart was released from its body, dissolving it back into black smokes.

"Well, one down, only one more to go." Sora said as he ran towards the group who was still fighting another Dark Thorn.

Finally caught with the others who were fighting the other Dark Thorn, Sora found out that Snow was still unconscious along with Hope, while Vanille, Fang, and Sazh already exhausted from blocking Dark Thorn's attack. Cloud and Lightning on the other hand were still fighting back to back, watching each other from the next incoming attack. Seeing Sora ran toward them, Cloud could tell that he already finished the first Dark Thorn.

"Took you long enough." Cloud said in his calm voice, while Sora readied his battle stance again.

"Yeah, as they said, heroes always arrive late." Sora playfully replied, while Lightning who saw him began to think his similarity with Snow, _'Humph, at least he's not as stupid as him. Now where is that thing?'_

As they looked around to find the Dark Thorn, suddenly the heartless reappeared in front of Lightning, catching her by surprise and sending her fly with its uppercut claw attack, Cloud who just realized what happened ran to catch her from falling.

"Sora, you take care of it! I'll catch her." Cloud said as he ran toward the falling point before Lightning who was unconscious from the last attack fell to the ground.

"Got it!" _'Great! Me and this thing again, alone.'_ Sora mentally grumbled as he faced again the second Dark Thorn before him, suddenly he remembered the new summon charm that Merlin gave to him, it was a good time to use it, seeing Sora a bit exhausted too from the first fight.

"Give me strength!" As Sora held his summon charm in light, the sky suddenly covered in dark clouds. Sora then pointed his Keyblade to the sky and shoot a beam of light that created magical circles. From the magical circles a gigantic shape of dragon could be seen descended to the ground, Fang's eyes widened, only her eidolon 'Bahamut' that could make the entrance like that.

'_Impossible! Another Bahamut?! Just who the hell is this kid?! He claimed not to be l'Cie, but he can use magic and summon an Eidolon?' _Fang thought as the dragon being finally landed near Sora. The others with exception of Hope, Snow, Cloud, and Lightning could clearly see what the dragon was like. It was gigantic dark purple colored humanoid dragon with yellow claws and body chest. The wings were segmented with red color adorning the bottom, while purple color adorning the base. The dragon was also looked like it wore an armor instead having scales for its skin. From its back there was a large circle floating behind it like an angel halo albeit larger and not placed above its head. It was Bahamut, the Conqueror of the skies that also known as the Dragon King, the Hallowed Father, the First Sire.

"Whoa… so this is Bahamut?" Sora said, amazed with his new summon that Merlin gave to him, suddenly Sora snapped away from his imaginary thoughts and ordered the Bahamut to attack the Dark Thorn.

"Let's do this together!" Sora commanded as the Bahamut began to stand with four legs and opened its mouth, creating an energy surge to perform its ultimate attack **Mega** **Flare** breath. The energy ball grew larger as the Bahamut pointed its head toward the Dark Thorn that began to charge at Sora, however before the heartless could even lay a hand to the Keybearer, a giant beam shot blasted through it, dissolving it without leaving any trace of darkness.

**(End of Desire for All That Is Lost.)**

"Whoa… so powerful, I never seen summon like that before." Sora said as the Bahamut turned back into the summon charm. As Sora pocketed his summon charm, he ran to the others to see Hope and Snow's conditions. As he arrived, Hope was the first one who opened his eyes.

"Owww… my head." Hope groaned as he rubbed his head before Snow finally woke up too.

"Ouch… what a punch it was, even sis never punched me like that. Hey, so… what have I missed?" Snow asked, making the others laughed to him for having no idea what they just fought before.

"Nah, no fair, you guys had all the fun while I was sleeping huh?"

"Yeah, a fun that put me into sleep too, Snow." Hope snapped him playfully, making all of them laughed together until finally they realized something.

"Wait! Where's Lightning?" Hope asked.

"Yeah, and where is that spiky too? Last time he was with Sunshine when we fought that black thing." Fang added.

As they looked around to find them, finally Sazh noticed that there was someone walked towards them. It was Cloud, carrying Lightning who was still unconscious with bridal style. "Hey looks like we have found our grumpies." Sazh said while pointing his finger toward the two. Fang and Vanille couldn't help but giggle seeing how Cloud carried Lightning with his arms.

"_(Whistle)_ I never thought that sis finally found her own hero. Just wait till I tell Serah about this." Snow playfully commented at the sight.

"Well, I guess everybody has their own destined couples, huh?" Fang added before he looked back to Sora, "Anyway I have many questions for you after this, ya lil' spiky."

* * *

**O_o Fang wasn't too happy that her Eidolon shared the same name as Sora's new summon I guess. And for your info, I used the Bahamut from the Final Fantasy X (its the coolest Bahamut ever, even more than Fang's Bahamut for me). Didn't expect the interrupted fight? Well let's say it was a surprise, I haven't put any fight with heartless too anyway.**


	5. Chapter 5 : Explanations & Remembrances

**Sorry for the late update, I've been too busy with my other stuffs so... here is the chapter 5. Enjoy.**

* * *

"Hmm, interesting… so that's the power of the Keybearer I see." Barthandelus commented after watched how Sora fought the Dark Thorn heartless that he just summoned from his newpower that Maleficent gave to him.

"I told ya that little brat isn't someone that you should underestimate Barthandelus, so that's why this ol' Capt'n Pete is here to help ya. Trust me I have been through with dat Keybrat for many times." Pete said without aware that he just indirectly told Barthandelus about his shaming past with Sora, always gotten kicked butt every time he met him.

'_That boy's strength… maybe instead of Ragnarok, I can use him to destroy Orphan and bring out the Maker, why this is getting more interesting.'_ Barthandelus thought, reminding his original plan to lure the l'Cie to reach Orphan and destroy it so he could bring the Maker back. However he had another plan as he finally discovered about Sora's capabilities.

"Well, so pal, what shall we do? Come on pal, I don't want to stay and wait too long, it's just VEEEERY BOOORING." Pete pleaded as he scratched his hands that already itching for his revenge.

"Patience Pete! As soon as they reach Oerba, we will have our own part. For now let's just let the water flows." Barthandelus replied back as they watched from Eden how Sora, Cloud, and their new companions continued their journey.

Meanwhile…

* * *

_Corridor of Darkness – The Lanes Between_

Young Xehanort and Xemnas were walking inside the corridor of darkness to reach Gran Pulse. As they walked, Xemnas decided to ask Xehanort something.

"So… can you tell me?" Xemnas asked as Xehanort only looked at him confusedly.

"Tell you about what?" Xehanort replied, having no idea what he asked him about.

"How can you wield a Keyblade? All I know is that my heartless counterpart only gave you a power to travel through time, yet he is a heartless, so there's no way he could give you that ability." Xemnas asked back.

"Hmph, let's just say that I inherit someone's heart just like _him_, however I'm not making my heart as a prison like him, I let him free when he wants." Xehanort answered, referring about Vanitas, Ventus's dark side who also could wield a Keyblade too that had inherited Young Xehanort's heart to recover himself, however unlike Ventus, Vanitas could still roam out as well take over Xehanort's body and replace it with his body when he needed to show himself completely.

"Now it's my turn to ask you." Xehanort said back to Xemnas as he gave him a nod.

"Very well, then ask me all you want to know."

"Is that true that your body is actually someone's body who was a Keyblade Wielder too?" Xehanort asked him with a curious look.

"I have to say that's true, but I don't have to worry about him, he's too weak even to face his own darkness, that fool will never take control this body from me. How ironic… despite that I'm nobody who has no heart, I actually have someone else in this body. If I have a heart, maybe now I'm already crying." Xemnas answered, referring to Terra who lost his heart in the darkness and taken controlled by Master Xehanort for his body back at the Keyblade Graveyard.

"Quite nice story, well… it seems we almost arrived at our destination." Xehanort commented back his answer as the dark portal appeared before them. _'Let's see if you can handle your own darkness this time, Sora. Will you become our 13__th__ vessel or overcome your own darkness?'_ Xehanort thought as they entered the exit dark portal to the Gran Pulse or Cocoon.

* * *

_Gran Pulse – Vallis Media – Base camp_

Sora, Cloud, Fang, Vanille, Sazh, Snow, and Hope with exception of Lightning who still rest near them to recover herself from the last Dark Thorn's attack that made her unconscious were sitting near the fire. It was already night time and the weather turned cold. But the real reason why they gathered wasn't to to warm themselves, Fang or everyone wanted to ask question about who is Sora actually? What was that creature that attacked them? And how did Sora have a Bahamut too?

"Okay… so let's just get this straight, what in the Gran Pulse was that thing? And how come do you have Eidolon just like us? Does that Spiky have it too?" Fang asked him continuously, making Sora nervous for where he had to start as he scratched his head.

"Okay, (clears throat) that thing that we just fought was the heartless. When someone loses their heart into the darkness for having many negative emotions like anger, hate, jealously, and many more like that, the darkness will consume their heart and as the result, it turned them into a creature known as the heartless like we just fought before. (summons Kingdom Key) With this weapon called Keyblade, I can release the heart that consumed by the darkness inside the heartless, so they will return again as normal human." Sora explained with a bit of lie,not wanting to explain about the nobodies too as he already had a hard time for explaining the origin of heartless, not to mention their variable sizes and shapes.

"Geez, never heard anything like that before, never know that losing your mind with negative emotions could result in that." Sazh commented, surprised after he heard Sora's answer.

"That's… kinda like turned into a Cie'th." Vanille replied with a bit of sadness in her voice, remembered that the Cie'th were also the humans before.

"Cie'th? What's that?" Sora asked back.

"Well… (Snow shows his mark), this brand is the sign that we are the l'Cie, we had been given the task to accomplish known as Focus, if we managed to fulfill our Focus, we will enter the crystal stasis to gain a long sleep as they said. However, if the l'Cie fails or denies this brand, he/she will be turned into a walking monster with no live or dead condition, known as the Cie'th. You got it what I told to ya, right kid?" Snow asked after answering Sora's question, worried if Sora didn't catch at all what he told him.

"Very much, that sounds very similar with turned into a heartless as she said." Sora replied back, "Oh wait, but what is an Eidolon?"

"It's the creature that you summoned before. Each of us has one, well I have to say mine shares the same name as yours, Bahamut. Although I have to admit yours was quite different, lil' spiky." Fang answered with a bit of defeat in her voice, knowing that Sora's Bahamut was more cooler than hers, even though it didn't have the Gestalt Mode as Sora looked at the others who gave their Eidolon's names.

"Mine is Alexander."

"Shiva Sisters."

"Hecatoncheir."

"Brynhildr."

"If you want to ask what that Sunshine's Eidolon's name is, it's Odin." Fang said before Sora could ask again.

"Oh, thanks. Well (shows the summon charm), I used this to call that Bahamut. When I put a bit of my strength to it, I can call it to aid me in battles, although that was my first time (for the Bahamut), and for Cloud's summon umm… I don't know yet, he never showed it to me before." Sora said as the eyes were now gesturing to Cloud who still kept his cool as he looked back at them.

"Knights of the Round, but that was in past." Cloud calmly answered.

"Past? Hey what do you mean Spiky? Now I just don't get it at all." Snow asked him back, having no idea for the meaning of his answer.

"Well, unlike Sora, I used the item called the Summon Materia to summon what you called Eidolons. However since my last adventure, I never used it again. Now it's only a memento from my past journey." Cloud explained with a hidden sadness in his voice, remembering how in his past adventure, Sephiroth burned his homeland Nibelheim to the ground, killed his mother, and almost killed Tifa back at the Mako reactor.

"So there are many ways to summon Eidolons other than becoming l'Cie, I see… hmm?" Fang then turned her head to find that Lightning began to awake.

"Hmm… urgh…" Lightning groaned as she opened her eyes "What… just happened?"

"Look who finally awakes, you're surely a good sleeper, Sunshine." Fang teased as Light glared her for her joke.

"Just what happened with that black creature? And why did I sleep here? Last time I remembered, that thing punched me in my jaw." Light asked once again in her stern soldier tone.

"Well, you got unconscious from that creature's attack known as the heartless, but don't worry about it. This boy (points her finger at Sora) defeated it with his Eidolon, and luckily your _**'prince with big sword'**_ came and saved you. He even carried you here for additional info_ (giggle)_." Fang teasingly answered as she pointed her finger at Cloud.

Hearing her answer, Lightning's face blushed and angered at the same time; not only she let her guard down as a soldier, but also gotten saved by a stranger with a big sword that she barely even knows? Good thing Serah wasn't there, or else she would tease her using that moment. Seeing her anger, Snow tried to calm his _**'sister in law'**_ wannabe.

"Whoa, easy sis. Look at the bright side; you finally have someone who might be your destined couple just like me and Serah. I'm sure she will happy to…" Snow however was cut off by Lightning as she punched him right into his face to shut his mouth without even looking at him, she then walked towards Cloud who was leaning against the wall with crossed arms and closed eyes, seeming in a deep thought about where Sephiroth's hideout was as he still remembered about Sephiroth's last words before they left Radiant Garden during their fight.

'_Can you do it? That darkness comes from your own dark memories. Do you think you can erase your past?'_

'_Face it-you turn your back on the present and live in the past. Because the light of the present is too much!'_

'_Cloud... You'll never let go of the darkness...__'_

'_You'll never let go of your past...'_

'_Absurd. Defeating me is meaningless. You know that more than anyone, Cloud. No matter how many times I fall, your darkness keeps calling me back!'_

As Cloud snapped out from his thoughts and opened his eyes, he found that Lightning already stood before him, looking him with the hint of anger on her face that almost made her wanted to punch him just like what she had done with Snow before.

"Oooh myyy, this will be interestiiing. A thunderstruck lightning on clouds" Fang teasingly said with low voice at the sight.

"Why did you help me back there?! I didn't ask for it!" Lightning asked first with stern and angry tone, however the SOLDIER wasn't intimidated by her attitude.

"Why? Because you could die if you fell like that, that's why. And to be honest... that was the stupidest thing that you did back there." Cloud replied back without even looking at her that made Lightning even more upset.

"Why you!" Lightning was about to punch Cloud to his face as she clenched her fist to punch him, however Cloud grabbed her fist just before she could hit him. Hope and the others who also worried about their**_ 'not too good relationships at start'_** decided to calm the situation between them.

"Umm… look, it's already late, maybe we should rest for now. We can figure this out at the next day, okay? Lightning? Cloud?" Hope hopefully said as Cloud released her right hand. "I can take care of myself, I don't need to be saved by anyone, especially by a stranger like you." Lightning said one more time as she walked away from him.

"Fine, then suit yourself." Cloud replied before he leaned back to rest. The others, including Sora only could sigh in relieve for having them stop from their argument. However Sora just realized something important...

"Oh! Almost forgot! Where are you guys heading to?" Sora asked them.

"We are going to Oerba, the place where I and Fang lived, maybe we can figure out about what we shall do next once we arrive. What about you?" Vanille asked back to Sora.

"Well, honestly we don't know yet, maybe we will stick up with you until you reach Oerba." Sora replied back, having no idea where to search the Keyhole of this world and find Sephiroth. Perhaps sticking with the only people that they met was the only option left.

"But we will go tomorrow, so _(__yawn…) _let's just sleep for now. Tomorrow will be a long journey for us ahead." Fang said as she lay down to sleep followed by Snow, Sazh, Lightning, Vanille, and Hope. Sora however couldn't sleep yet, instead he walked away from the others to find a high place where he could see many stars and the good views of Gran Pulse Archylte Steppe. He then stopped for a moment, reaching his pocket to find Kairi's lucky charm that she gave to her. Sora then lay down on the grass, looking at the lucky charm for a while, and then looked back at the sky filled with the stars.

"Just wait a little bit longer Kairi, I'll come back soon." Sora said for the last time before he finally fell asleep apart from the others. As he slept, he dreamed about his meeting with Ventus for the first time back when he was 5 years old.

**(Ventus Theme – Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep)**

_A boy, who was about 5 years old judging from his age stood in the middle of giant pillar with the glass surface that displayed many things that arranged in circle, he then looked above, seeming to find something that was lost in the dark._**  
**

"_Hey. Can you hear me?" The five years old Sora called from his Station of Awakening to the glowing light that descended down to him._

"_I heard your voice. It cut through the darkness around me. All alone_, _I followed the sound, into a sea of light...and found myself here, with you.__" The light responded back as Sora gave him a nod and held it on his hands._

"_You gave me something back when I needed it most. A second chance."_

"_I did?" Sora asked the light back._

"_But… now I have to go back to sleep again." The light said again sadly._

"_Are you sad?" Sora asked it emphatically._

"_Would you mind if I stayed here, with you?" The light asked him once again._

"_Sure, if it'll make you feel better." Sora answered it cheerfully._

"_Thank you." The light thanked him as it entered Sora's body._

**(End of Ventus Theme)**

* * *

**My that music theme always makes me want to cry (sniff), anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter, and wait for the next! It'll be actions again and journey to Mah'habara. Don't forget to review below here :) Oh, and from the KH3D back at the La Cité des Cloches at the Church, Sora met Young Xehanort as well Vanitas (only for a moment before he disappeared), the question is why Vanitas was there and why could Young Xehanort from Destiny Islands wield a Keyblade too? My thought is that Vanitas inherited Young Xehanort's heart, so that's why Sora could see two of them (I don't know if he really saw both of them or just Xehanort only), and that also gave him the ability to wield a Keyblade too. Because he inherited Vanitas's heart just like Ventus's heart inside Sora.**


	6. Chapter 6 : Long Gui and Mah'habara

**Here's the next chapter, as I said before I'll add more actions, enjoy.**

* * *

Gran_ Pulse - Yaschas Massif - __The Paddraean Archaeopolis_

A long silver haired man in black trench coat with three wings, one on his right shoulder and two more on his waist, carried a seven foot long sword was standing in the middle of the ruins that appeared to be the remnants of the buildings that were constructed a long year ago. Around him some unusual humanoid and winged creatures surrounded him, giving him no way to escape. However, he wasn't intimidated a bit, a small smirk formed on his face as he swung his sword that known as Masamune horizontally, destroying all the creatures around him known as the Cie'th into nothing in a single attack. As he walked away, suddenly a black portal appeared in front of him, showing two more figures with silver hair in black cloats who were none other than Xemnas and Xehanort. The sliver haired swordsman known as Sephiroth only kept himself in his cool demeanor, although he was actually felt suspicious to those two.

"Who… are you?" Sephiroth asked as he raised again his Masamune and pointed it towards them. Xehanort was ready to summon his Keyblade to fight back, however Xemnas stopped him from doing so by holding him back.

"Relax, we aren't here for making any troubles for you." Xemnas answered him calmly as he stepped towards Sephiroth.

"Let's just say that we are on the same side, or maybe only for this one."

Sephiroth raised his left eyebrow as now he felt a bit confused, he then lowered his Masamune and asked again.

"Same side? What do you mean?" Xemnas however only gave him a grin as he answered his question.

"We have our enemies in one group altogether. What we want to say is that our chosen one by the Keyblade is with your enemy, right now."

"I see… so Cloud is with that kid. Then what do you want from me?" Sephiroth asked him again, even though he already knew what was in Xemnas's mind, he just had to make sure.

"We have a proposal for you. I'd say that we make an alliance, you want to find Cloud, and we want to find Sora. But now he's with him. So… what do you say?" Xemnas asked him again as he offered his hand to Sephiroth if he wanted to join them to find one of the seven lights and the blonde warrior. However, Xehanort was still unsure if this was the best idea to tag him along, even though he could sense the darkness inside the Sephiroth didn't affect him at all. In fact, Xehanort felt that Sephiroth is like the darkness itself with its own heart that controlled the darkness instead being consumed by it, almost like Master Xehanort himself.

"Hm, Cloud still couldn't accept his own darkness, he keeps denying it, but he knows that there's no light for him, only the darkness that suits to him and besides…" Sephiroth turned back from them and walked away a bit before he turned his head to Xemnas "I'm still intrigued with the power of the Keyblade, I wonder if I can make it becomes mine, once I defeat that kid."

"So, does this mean that you accept our offer?" Xemnas asked as he walked up beside him along with Xehanort.

"Maybe you could say that for now. Now, I suppose it's time for you to tell me who you are actually, right?" Sephiroth had a point, both of them just met and formed an alliance for their sworn nemesis, but both of them still hadn't learned their names yet.

"The name's Xemnas."

"And I'm Xehanort."

"I'm Sephiroth, then shall we go?" However just before the three took their leave, suddenly the hex patterned crystal sphere behind them exploded, revealing a winged Cie'th with powerful aura, Sephiroth, Xemnas, and Xehanort then turned to face the most powerful undying winged Cie'th ever in the Gran Pulse, Vercingetorix.

"But first, I think we have a company." Xemnas said as he drew his Ethereal Blades, while Xehanort summoned his Keyblade, and Sephiroth drew his Masamune.

* * *

_Gran Pulse – The Archylte Steppe_

Sora, Cloud, and the others walked on the wide plains in Archylte Steppe, they decided to tag along with the l'Cie until they reached Oerba, the village where Vanille and Fang were born and live. They had no clue at all how to find the Keyhole of the world and Sephiroth, maybe the best thing that they could only do was sticking with the people they just met to find more clues. As they walked through the plains, Snow decided to break the ice.

"So Sora, care to tell us more about yourself?"

"Of course, so which part that you want to hear first, Snow?" Sora replied back as he turned his head towards him.

"Well, do you have someone that is very special for you?" Snow was actually asking if Sora had a girlfriend or sort of like that. However Sora took his question differently than he expected.

"Well, everyone. You, Cloud, Hope, Lightning, Sazh, Vanille, and Fang are very special for me as friends, we are friends, right?" Hearing his answer, Snow couldn't help but facepalmed himself, whi\ile Lightning only shook her head.

"Sora, Snow meant to ask if you have any girlfriend or sort like that I guess." Hope explained to Sora as he scratched his head.

"Huh? Well… then I guess so." Sora replied as his face blushed a bit. Sure he actually liked Kairi since they were little kids, however until now he still hadn't confessed that right in front of her.

"That's very sweet. So what is her name?" Vanille asked as Sora reached his pocket, showing them the lucky charm that Kairi made from Thalassa Shells.

"Her name is Kairi, and this is the lucky charm that she made. She gave it for me and I promised to return this to her someday." Suddenly Sora's face turned sad, "But… now I already left her again, I don't even know what to say when I meet with her again."

"Hey kid, just tell her your real feelings, I know she will accept that, just like when I confessed my feelings to Serah." Snow reassuringly said as he showed Sora Serah's crystal tear.

"What's that?" Sora asked him once again.

"That's Serah's crystal tear before she turned into a crystal, at first we thought that she was already dead, but now we know that she's still alive, waiting for us and my approval." Lightning answered with a bit of sadness at the part when Serah turned into a crystal. Sora however only wondered the approval thing that she mentioned.

"Approval? For what?" Sora asked again, now it was Snow's turn to answer his question.

"Well, Serah is my fiancée, but we still need Lightning's approval before we could marry, right sis?"

"Don't call me your sis. You haven't married with Serah yet, and we'll see about it once this is over, Snow." Lightning replied with her stern voice, although Snow could tell there was a hint of threatening in her voice, especially with the married part.

"Okay, stop it both of you! Seriously, when will you two come to terms?" Vanille scolded the two as she turned her head to Cloud "What about you Cloud? Do you have someone special for you too?"

"Me? Well…I-" However Cloud was cut off as they felt the earth were shaking and they could hear a loud roar sound that could make their ears deaf. When they turned around, much for their surprise a Long Gui, the strongest and the most fearsome oretoise in Gran Pulse was after them albeit it was walking slowly, but one could tell that the Long Gui was dangerous from its roar and its steps that could make the earthquake as they readied their weapons.

**(The Encounter – Kingdom Hearts II)**

The Long Gui casted **Ultima** toward the group preemptively, luckily just before the explosion magic could hit them, Sora casted **Reflega** barrier in a large scale, covering everyone from the massive attack.

"How in the world could that thing do that? I mean it's an animal for sure, but casting a high leveled magic?" However the others ignored Sora's question as they began to summon their own Eidolons.

'Odin!'

'Shiva!'

'Bahamut!'

'Alexander!'

'I summon… Brynhildr!'

'Come on Hecaton!'

Sora watched in awe as he saw the Eidolons changed into their Gestalt Mode. Odin turned into a mechanical horse, the Shiva sisters turned into a motorcycle, Bahamut turned into some kind of air rider, Alexander turned into a fortress, Brynhildr turned into a car, and Hecatoncheir turned into a mech with four barreled gatling cannons. Cloud was also impressed with their summons or Eidolons as they said, but he needed to keep his concentration towards Long Gui's attacks.

Lightning who was riding on Odin's back began to attack one of Long Gui's legs with **Stormfall** along with the help of Snow's Shiva's **Diamond** **Dust**, creating the ice pillar that electrodes its right foreleg, while, Hope's Alexander and Sazh's Brynhildr were busy attacking the other leg with **Divine** **Judgment** and **Muspell** **Flame**. On the other hand, Vanille's Hecatoncheir were busy shooting the Long Gui's head, while Fang's Bahamut kept attacking it with **Pulsar** **Burst.**

After massive amount of attacks, the Long Gui filly fell down, giving the others the chance to attack it rentlessly, however at the same time their Eidolons already reached their limits, forcing Lightning and the others to fight on foot again. Sora, Cloud, and the others began to attack it with their weapons, however after about one half minute, the Long Gui began to stand up again and let out a roar that almost made Sora and the others dizzy.

"Hnnnggh, I-I won't give up yet, POWER!" Sora then used another summon charm. The summon appeared in a column of light, as the light faded out the others were surprised to see that the summon was not Bahamut anymore. It was the four legged creature with the size that was almost same as Sora and had reddish orange mane. It was Simba, the King of Pride Lands.

"Finally some call after quite long time, Sora."

"Simba, use the **Proud** **Roar** against that thing." Sora commanded as he pointed towards the Long Gui. Despite their extremely difference in size however, Simba wasn't scared a bit. "Hakuna Matata Sora, you can trust me with this one." The others except Cloud were quite surprised after hearing the creature known as the lion could talk in human language, even Lightning gave it a confused look as she and the others readied their weapons again.

Simba then let out his **Proud** **Roar **with all of his might, again much for Lightning and the others surprise, the roar was extremely powerful, almost as powerful as the Long Gui's that made it dizzy for a moment. Cloud on the other hand began to glow the same blue aura on his body and sword that he used to fight the Behemoth Kings, however something was different this time. A large black bat wing suddenly appeared from Cloud's left shoulder and his blue flames aura began to grow larger than before. He then flew towards the Long Gui's head and stabbed his Fusion Sword on it as he ran along its back, cutting through the Long Gui from the head to its tail that made it fell into two pieces.

**(End of The Encounter – Kingdom Hearts II)**

Sora was very amazed, he never knew that Cloud really had another new technique, although he had to admit that it was quite frightening for seeing the cut in half Long Gui as the result, so did for the others. But Lightning wasn't intimidated at all, only one thing that concerned her at that moment 'Just who is Cloud actually?' especially after she saw the black wing from Cloud's left shoulder. After Cloud landed back on his foot, Simba turned to Sora and the others, he knew that he was the lion who could talk in human language so he decided to introduce himself to Lightning and the others as well as Cloud as he never met with him before.

"I guess some introductions are needed, I'm Simba."

"Uh… I'm Snow Villiers, this is Lightning, Hope, Fang, Vanille, and Sazh." Snow introduced himself as well the others by pointing them based from the name he that mentioned. Fang who was very curious began to approach Simba closer and looked at him like she was studying him.

"What are you and why can you speak in our language?" Fang asked him, however Sora was the one who answered her question instead.

"Oh yeah, you've never seen a lion before, right? Simba is a lion from the place called Pride Lands. He said that he wanted to come along, so I tagged him along in a summon charm."

"Just how many summons that you have kiddo?" Fang asked again.

"Well, maybe you'll see the rest for later. Come on Simba, you should take a rest." Sora replied as he called Simba to return into summon charm.

"Guess so, roaring like that really exhausted me. Call me again when you need me sometime. Oh and visit the Pride Rock again when you have time. I want to introduce you to my daughter Kiara." Simba said as he turned into a summon charm again.

"A daughter? Well, congratulations Simba. I'll visit there when I have time." Sora said as he pocketed back his Simba summon charm.

"What a strange summon indeed." Fang commented as she shook her head.

"But he's quite cute Fang, but what is this Hakuna Matata that he just said?" Vanille asked, remembered the words that the lion said before roared the Long Gui.

"Well, Hakuna Matata means don't worry. Put your past aside and embrace your future." Sora cheerfully replied at the last part which made the red haired Oerban giggled.

As they continued their journey, they finally made it into a cave or some sort like it. However the cave wasn't not inhabited, many strange robotic creatures known as Hoplites, Boxed Phalanx, Juggernauts, Cycrohedrons, and many Rusted Pudding Flans were roaming in that place.

"And here we are, Mah'Habara Subterra, better watch your step if we want to get this through." Fang announced as she took the first step inside the cave.

* * *

**I wonder what if in KH Xemnas made an alliance with Sephiroth? Both of them had silver hair, unusual powers (darkness and nothingness), and manipulative. For your info, Sephiroth in KH universe is a bit different, he claims himself as the dark side of Cloud and always plays with his mind for believing that only the darkness that suits for him. Also he was intrigued with the power of Keyblade as he challenged Sora for it (though in the end he lost), and Cloud has the bat like wing on his left shoulder, opposing Sephiroth's black angel wing on his right shoulder every time he uses Omnislash. And yes Sephiroth in KH2 has three wings instead of one. And the reason I added Simba because he is my favorite summon in KH1. Next chapter will be a bit romance, so stay tuned. Don't forget to review as always :)  
**

**PS: Sorry if I made Sephiroth kinda different from his FFVII counterpart, I haven't played that game :,(**


	7. Chapter 7 : Mah'habara, Atomos & Nobody

**Sorry if in the previous chapter I mentioned romance of this one. I planned to do it when they reach Sullya Springs. So please enjoy this one and once again sorry for the misinformation.**

* * *

As Sora, Cloud, Lightning, Snow, Hope, Vanille, Sazh, and Fang walked inside the Mah'habara Subterra mine, they found that the place itself was dark as it located beneath the surface, but inside they could hear many humming sound as there was a construction work. However they were actually just doing their job as the Pulse workers despite there were no more humans on the Pulse, except the l'Cie, Keybearer, and the blond warrior. On their way, Cloud actually felt uneasy after he used the black wing from his left shoulder to kill the Long Gui, remembered how he got it back at the Olympus Coliseum.

_Flashback…_

_Olympus Coliseum – The Underworld Entrance_

_Cloud who still wore his SOLDIER outfit was talking with someone or something that definitely wasn't human and taller than him. He had blue flames as his hair and wore the black clothes. However the most unnatural trait for him was his skin, it was pale blue skin unlike any normal skin colors._

_"Okay, so let me review this again, you want to find someone with silver hair, carries a long eastern like sword, and he has the black wing on his right shoulder. Am I right?" The figure who was none other than the Lord of the Underworld, Hades asked him._

_"Yes… I'd have to settle things with him for once and for all." Cloud replied in his flat tone._

_"Well then you are lucky my spiky haired friend, Hades here will help you of course. But you'll have to do a favor from me first, heheheh." Hades deviously said as he remembered his plan to crush Hercules again after all of his failures from taking over the Olympia._

_"What do you want?" Cloud asked Hades back._

_"Simple (snaps his fingers, and summons a paper with quill pen). All you have to do is sign this contract, then I'll give you a very special gift. But first of all, you have to defeat that jerk Irkcules. I MEAN HERCULES!" Hades said as he reappeared beside Cloud, "So what do you say, eh? Just sign it, and POOF! New powers and I'll help you find that man. But first thing: Hercules first! Am I clear?"_

_"Just Hercules?" Cloud asked him again._

_"Just Jerkcules. So, will you sign or not? Well, no problem for me if you don't want it at all, I'm just trying to help anyway." Hades sympathetically said as he rolled back the contract paper._

_"Wait! I'll take it." 'I hope I won't regret this. They said that making deals with the Underworld God will never give you any good. But that doesn't matter anymore, I just want to find him and settle this.' Cloud thought as he took the quill pen then signed his name at the right corner of the contract paper. The paper then rolled itself and moved back into Hades's hand._

_"Goood. I was expecting that from you, now then…" Hades replied with a grin. He then summoned black and red smokes that covered Cloud's body. As the smokes faded out, Cloud found himself a bit different. He wore a long tattered red cape that covered his mouth and chin, and he wore a gold clawed gauntlet on his left hand. He couldn't help but think how similar his new attire with Vincent's. Suddenly he realized one thing that was quite different, he had a bat wing on his left shoulder that made him think that he almost like Sephiroth too in opposite way._

_"Not bad for the God of the Dead, eh? You like it? Or we could change it into another style if you want." Hades proudly said as he looked at 'now under his contract' Cloud._

_"No thanks. Now, where can I fight this Hercules?" Cloud replied after he looked at his hands that were glowing with the darkness. In his heart, he actually felt a bit guilty after realized that he just sold his soul for the power of darkness and finding someone._

_"Ohoho, very gusty I must say. Well, follow me. I'll take you to that stubborn old goat to sign you up." Hades said as he took the SOLDIER to the Coliseum lobby to sign him up for the preliminary course._

_End of flashback._

Cloud suddenly snapped his thoughts away as the others, including Lightning began to look at him worriedly. Sora then decided to ask him if he was okay.

"Cloud, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, just in a deep thought for a moment."

"Something complicated?" Vanille worriedly asked as she looked at Cloud.

"Too much that you'll never understand." Cloud flatly replied, making Vanille upset after she heard his answer.

"I was just trying to help you know!" Vanille irritably replied as she puffed her cheeks. Fang only shook her head at Vanille's childish behavior as they continued their journey.

As they continued on, Sora then saw a big train like robot fought something. It was a Behemoth! The Humbaba Behemoth! The train like robot or Juggernaut tried to flamethrower it, but it had no effect, the Behemoth then charged its horn, creating the ice geysers to the Juggernaut. Now short circuited from the attacks, Juggernaut used its steam clean to repair itself. But then the Behemoth charged it back, making it fell into Atomos' digging road. Lucky for it another Juggernaut appeared and helped it back into the tracks. The just rescued Juggernaut then spun its arms, suddenly the flames became larger and burned violently. The Humbaba was taken aback by its sudden change as Juggernaut used its wrecking ball to knock the Behemoth down and then pushed it back to make it fell down to the Atomos' digging track. As the Behemoth tried to climb up, suddenly the digger Fal'Cie Atomos came with its high speed, crushing the Humbaba on its path.

"What was that?" Sora asked as he turned at Fang.

"It appears that the Juggernauts just got rid the intruder." Fang said as they watched the working Juggernauts, "The Pulse robot workers are programmed to dispose the non human creatures, so they could continue their works undisturbed."

After many hours walking and fighting rusted puddings, and berserk Hoplites, Juggernauts, Boxed Phalanx, even Cycrohedrons, the group finally made it to the outside part of the mine. For their surprise, the outside part was filled with the flowers. The group then stopped for a while to catch a break

"Some fresh air at last!" Sora exclaimed as he walked to the flower-filled fissure. Meanwhile Vanille and Fang were looking at the flowers that used to grow all over Oerba. Sazh and Snow were exchanging jokes while Cloud only laid on the wall like he usually did to rest. And Hope was talking with Lightning about how far that he had progressed in his battle capabilities. Suddenly they heard clapping hands as they turned around to see who it was.

"Congratulations, you made it until this far I see." The man who was none other than Organization XIII member congratulated them, although no one could see his face because he hid it under his black coat.

"Organization XIII!" Sora said as he drew his Kingdom Key, the others didn't have idea about who this man in black was. But judging from Sora's behavior, one could tell that this man was one of their enemies too.

"Who are you? And what do you want here?" Lightning asked in her stern soldier tone, but the mysterious man didn't answer her question.

"Relax, we will meet again sooner than you think, that if you manage to get through with this." The figure replied as he snapped his fingers, suddenly many Dusk, Dragoon, and Berserker nobodies surrounded them, trapping all of them together in the middle of army of nobodies. The figure then escaped with the corridor of darkness as Sora called him back.

"Wait! Come back and fight you coward! Damn." Sora cursed under his breath as he looked back to the nobodies army and readied his battle stance followed by the others.

"Ahhh, when we will get a proper break?" Sazh murmured as he drew his twin pistols. "After we get through this funnyman." Fang replied as she readied her twin bladed spear.

"They are too many, what do we gotta do?" Hope worriedly asked as he drew his boomerang. "Simple, just get through with them." Lightning answered as she drew her Blazefire Saber.

"Besides, real heroes don't need any plan at all." Snow cockily said as he clenched his fists. "Just as you know, I'm tougher than I look." Vanille added as she readied her rod.

**(Blinded by Light – Final Fantasy XIII)**

The heroes then moved in many different ways to separate the nobodies into groups, Lightning was the first who faced the nobodies group that consisted of Dusks and Dragoons. At first she casted her **Ruinga** magic, making most of them destroyed in the non-elemental magic explosion, she then blitzed the remaining Dusks and Dragoons. After the two attacks, suddenly one of the Dusks lunged itself towards her, but Lightning backflip it and changed her Blazefire Saber into gun mode then shoot it. However, just before she could land back, the Dragoon nobody gave her a swing that knocked her towards the wall, but thanks to her grav-con-unit, she could landed herself safely on the wall and launched herself back to the Dragoon. As she gotten close with it, suddenly she changed again her gunblade into sword mode and attacked it rentlessly. Also, her movement was somewhat like she was dancing, she slashed, kicked, shoot and backflip from her opponent gracefully. As she finished her **Army** **of** **One** attack, finally the Dragoon nobody disappeared into nothingness.

Snow was facing the group that consisted of three Berserkers. The first berserker attempted to smash Snow by leaping at him then crushed its claymore, but Snow easily dodged it. Unfortunately for him, another Berserker from behind smashed him with its claymore, making Snow flew into another third Berserker. Just before the third one could hit him, Snow shot his **Aero** magic to stop himself along with the Berserker. As he landed back, Snow punched the two Berserkers with his enhanced strength. Just before he could hit the last one, suddenly the Berserker turned berserk and tried to hit Snow with its claymore many times. Snow then turned and saw the leftover claymore sword, without second thought he picked that claymore and used it against the _'in berserk state'_ Berserker. However, Snow got a hard time to use the weapon, it was like the claymore itself wanted to control Snow's mind, luckily he could resist that and handle the last Berserker without any problems.

Fang and Vanille were facing six Dragoons, Fang made her first move by attacking three Dragoons using her **Highwind** technique, in an instant the three Dragoons were dissolved into nothing. On the other hand Vanille just finished de-buffing two remained Dragoons, giving Fang an advantage to attack them with **Blitz**. As the last two Dragoons were vanished just like the rest of defeated nobodies.

Hope and Sazh were fighting an army of Dusks. Instead using his boomerang, Hope used his **Thundaga** magic to attack all enemies at once while Sazh shot them using his own version **Blitz. **However the Dusks were too many for them to handle. Exhausted, Sora and Cloud saw what happened to them and jumped right into the action to help them. Cloud made his first move by using **Sonic** **Rave** to get through the hordes of nobodies while Sora used his own version called **Sonic** **Blade**. As they finished their first attack, Cloud continued by using his **Braver**, slamming the grounds and creating a shockwave. On the other hand Sora used his **Ars** **Arcanum** to smite more of them; however the Dusks still outnumbered them.

"Cloud, think you can buy me some time?" Sora asked as he turned his head to the SOLDIER. Cloud only nod his head as his response.

"Maybe…" Cloud replied as the blue aura began to surround him. As he attacked one of the Dusks, suddenly his sword split into six different swords and encircled the nobody group. With his immense speed, Cloud quickly slashed the rest of nobodies by exchanging his swords one after another with his **Omnislash Ver.5** technique and separated them from the group. Sora on the other hand was gathering his magic energy. He then pointed his Keyblade upwards, creating a sphere of light, and a magical rune beneath him then stabbed it. In an instant the light ball above him shined brightly, dissolving all remained nobodies on the field from his **Trinity** **Limit. **As the lights finally faded out, Sora couldn't help but prepare himself for further questions.

**(End of Blinded by Light)**

"Okay, after the black heartless thingy, now what are those white things?" Fang asked again to the spiky brunette.

"They are called nobodies. Much like heartless, except they are working under the commands like that guy in black coat known as Organization XIII." Sora explained with a bit of lie again for avoiding their origins and the connection between the heartless and nobodies.

"One after another I see, well let's just keep on. We need to reach Sullya Springs first before we could reach Oerba." Fang told the others as they walked again inside the cave. After many steps, they finally found a non-active Atomos with an opened door.

"Uh, you sure about this? That thing won't give us any headache when we are inside, right?" Sora asked, making Fang facepalmed herself.

"Totally not you not too smart one. If yes, then I wouldn't suggest that" Fang mockingly replied as she entered the Atomos.

"Hey! I just asked whether it's safety or not!" Sora said as he entered Atomos too, followed by the others.

"That kid is a bit stupid I must say, almost like Snow. But back at the battlefield, he was like a totally different person." Lightning said to Cloud as she and Cloud waited for the others to enter first.

"I already told you, didn't I?" Cloud replied her with a small smirk on his face.

"Hmph, now I understand why you could get beaten by him." Lightning replied back with a small smirk on her face too as she entered the Atomos, followed by Cloud.

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**The next chapter will be at Sullya springs or maybe if I can at Taejin's Tower too. Please R&R below :)**


	8. Chapter 8 : Shared Pasts & Nightmare

**This is the 8th chapter, Wohoo finally got the Platinum Trophy 'The Ultimate Hero' and PS3 Serah's theme.**

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After the long trip inside the Atomos at Mah'habara, finally Sora and his companions arrived at the Sulyya Springs. It was the place where the guardian fal'Cie Bismarck lived in; any unlucky enough intruders that attempted to enter would face the wrath of this fal'Cie. Lucky for Sora and his companions, Fang and Vanille were the locals of Gran Pulse that they were the only one who could guide them properly.

"So… What's this Oerba look like?" Sora asked, breaking the ice after many steps forward.

"It's very beautiful." Vanille answered as she looked at Sora, " remember those flowers back at Mah'habara? Well, they are in all over Oerba. I'm sure you'll like it once we arrive there."

"Surely I will." Sora cheerfully answered while jumping through the platforms to get through the Subterranean Lake. Then suddenly many bluish colored frog-lizard like creatures appeared nowhere, surrounding them in a circle formation. Sora and the others quickly drew their weapons and prepared to fight again.

"What are those things?" Sora asked Fang as he looked the strange lizards.

"Ceratoraptors! Careful, they can call for help when they need it." Fang warned him, taking out her spear. Sora nodded at her answer "Gotcha, I'll remember that."

As they charged toward the Ceratoraptors and killed several of them, suddenly one of Ceratoraptors started dancing in a weird way.

"What is it doing now?" Sora grunted, shook his head at the sight.

"Calling its friends! Quick, after it!" Fang commanded, making the others ignored the other Ceratoraptors and focused with this one. But it was too late, it successfully called the reinforcements. Many Ceratosaurs then suddenly appeared nowhere, giving them more troubles in their battle.

"We have to dispose the smaller ones first. TAKE THIS!" Lightning then cast **Thundaga, **creating a massive thunder blast that caused an explosion and easily electrocuted the smaller Ceratosaurs, killing them as they were weaker than Ceratoraptors. Sora and Cloud couldn't help but think how fit her name Lightning with her advanced thunder magic spell.

"Argh, they are too many. We can't keep on like this forever." Hope said while using **Firaga** magic to burn the remaining Ceratosaurs and Ceraoraptors. However every time he defeated one Ceratosaur, the stronger Ceratoraptors always called for the backup, making the situation even tighter than before for them.

"I'm sure they are nothing compared back at the Radiant Garden for you, right?" Cloud asked Sora with a small smirk while fighting the Ceratoraptors back to back, mimicking Leon and Cloud back at the heartless invasion in Hollow Bastion or now known as Radiant Garden.

"Nah, they are just a small fry for me. Watch this… DRIVE! FINAL FORM!" A bright flash of light then covered Sora's body, making the others covered their eyes. As the light faded out, Sora's clothes turned into silver white and black in color. However the most unusual part for them was Sora wasn't standing anymore; he was floating in air along with his two Keyblades, Ultima Weapon and Two Become One on his back. Also two sparks of light were encircling him too, like they were the living energies.

"Oh Yeah! It's been a while since I used this one." Sora then flew toward the Creatoraptors and Ceratosaurs, attacking them like a flash of light by teleporting, flying, and slashing like he was in all places at the same time with his_ Final Arts_. The others including Lightning couldn't believe with what they just saw, Sora was fighting like a real lightning! No traces or any movement that their eyes could catch, Sazh on the other hand was relieved that they were on same side_ 'Good thing that he's not Sanctum l'Cie or we already toasted'._

"Now what the heck in the Gran Pulse did you just do? Now it's very hard for me to believe that you aren't l'Cie kiddo." Fang asked while putting her hands on her waist, waiting for an answer as Sora reverted back into his normal form.

"Well, that was called Drive Form." Sora answered and pulled his clothes a bit "Well, you see, my clothes have some kind of special powers that allow me to use the thing that called drive orb." Sora continued as he reached his pocket then showed them four drive orbs in red, blue, yellow, and white colors, "These orbs can transform my clothes and give me special enhancement whether only in my strength, magic, or both of them. The last one that you just saw was my strongest called Final Form." Sora proudly finished his answer while putting the drive orbs back into his pocket.

"Uhhh, hate to interrupt your 'smart moment' kid, but I think we should get move on, look." Sazh said and pointed to the sky. The sun began to set, and they still haven't found yet the place to rest. "Great, and we are still very far from reaching Oerba" Fang grumbled before they continued again their journey. After many steps forward, finally they arrived on the last platform with no more enemies and no more platforms too.

"A dead end?" Cloud asked while looking for another path, "I see no more platforms or any bridges here." Suddenly not far from their position, a whale like looking creature or the guardian fal'Cie Bismarck appeared along with more platforms arose from the water, giving them a new road to proceed further. "Well, I guess that's our ticket to keep on." Sora said as they continued forward to the higher stone platforms. After many steps, they finally reached the open field with no more monsters except the flying wyverns Amphisbaena that seemed didn't bother them too.

"Phew, finally can catch a break." Sora said as he lay down on the grass field. "We will try to find any usable stuff." Fang said while preparing her stuff along with Sazh, and Hope to look for the foods and supplies because they already low on supplies to proceed further, Lightning however didn't worry about Hope and Sazh's safety, especially since Fang was with them. Cloud on the other hand was sitting near the cliff, still worrying about the power of darkness inside him that he got from Hades's contract and Sephiroth, while Snow and Vanille talked about Serah and how Vanille met with her too at Seaside Bodhum. As the blond SOLDIER was in his deep thought, suddenly Lightning approached him from his side.

"Hey." The pink haired ex-soldier called the blonde ex-SOLDIER and sat beside him. "Hmm?" Cloud confusedly replied as he looked her.

"I just want to say sorry about what happened back there." Lightning bashfully apologized, making him raised one of his eyebrows, confused even more with what she just said to him.

"For what?"

"Back there, if you didn't save me. Maybe I wouldn't live enough to continue this journey. I should thank you for that." Lightning answered, still blushed a bit after been saved by Cloud.

"That wasn't a big deal; I've done the same or worse." Cloud replied her then looked back at the sky. After a moment of silence...

"Tell me Lightning, wha-""Call me Light." Lightning interrupted his question and looked at him with a small but tender smile on her face, making Cloud nodded at her but also thought how big the difference between her name and her nickname as he asked her again.

"Tell me, what is your reason for fighting?"

Lightning was a bit shocked hearing his question, she actually didn't want to recall the fateful day where she left the Guardian Corps, watched how Serah was turned into a crystal, turned into l'Cie along with her companions, and most of all she had to fight her former comrades too at the GC and learned the painful truth about her real focus to destroy Orphan. But perhaps telling someone (especially the one who could keep his cool) would make her feeling better like removing some of her burdens on her shoulder.

"To defy our fate, and to safe my sister… Serah." She answered him with a bit of sadness at 'Serah' part.

"Your fate?" Cloud asked her again, having no idea what she was talking about.

"After turned into l'Cie, the whole Cocoon is against us until now. At first I was ready to face it as long as I could save her or die trying. Back then I didn't even have the reason for fighting anymore. But then, after heard what Fang told to me that Serah could awake again I finally had my reason to keep on fighting," Lightning answered him as she looked at the sky too "But after separated and then reunited again, we learned about our true Focus, to destroy Orphan. We know that by doing so, we would make Cocoon lose its power, and millions of life would be killed because of it. But we have a faith that we will get through with this and we can save Cocoon too just like Serah wanted by defying our fate."

Hearing her answer, Cloud began to feel sympathetic to Lightning and her friends. He knew that couldn't do anything and he shouldn't care about her problem as her problem wasn't his, furthermore he was from another world. But at least he could encourage her a bit.

"Nobody decides our fates; we are the ones who should decide our own fate and destiny." he asked her again, "Now, why did you change your name? Snow told me that Lightning isn't your real name at all."

Lightning let out a _sigh_ before she answered again, "Our parents, they were gone since me and Serah were little. After that I realized that I had to be stronger, for Serah. I joined the Guardian Corps to make myself stronger, so I could protect her. I left my old name and used Lightning as my new name. It moves fast, and very destructive, but now… despite everything that I've been through, I couldn't even save her from the Purge, I-I failed her"

"I see, so you abandoned your real name and changed it to part yourself from the past." Cloud took a _sigh_ as he looked the pink haired ex-soldier back, "I have a friend who also changed his name to part from his past self after he failed to protect his homeland." he said, referring Squall Leonheart who changed his name to Leon after he failed to protect Hollow Bastion or Radiant Garden from the heartless invasion before.

"What about you? What's your reason to keep fighting?"Now it was Lightning's turn to ask him about his backstory. Cloud also didn't want to recall his past event. But since he didn't care about that anymore, perhaps telling her wouldn't be a problem for him.

"Well, when I was fourteen, I joined with the SOLDIER. I wanted to be the 1st class SOLDIER just like _him_. But, everything was changed after that day." Cloud told her, tried to remember his tragic past, how he joined the SOLDIER to be like Sephiroth, but ended up with losing his mother, Nibelheim, and his friend Zack Fair who passed his Buster Sword to Cloud before his death.

"Him?" Lightning asked, having no idea who was the person that he was talking about.

"Sephiroth. He was the reason I joined with the SOLDIER, he was the greatest hero for us, the five stars general, the hero of Wutai. I admired him so much when I was little."

"Then what happened?" she asked him again.

"When we were on a mission at my homeland Nibelheim, Sephiroth just found out that I, he, and Zack were the experiment result from something like the super soldier project. Then he gone mad, killed my mother, almost killed my old friend Tifa, and destroyed the whole village to have his revenge against all humans, especially the ones who had created him." Lightning was quite shocked after hearing his answer, so he wasn't that antisocial or arrogant as she thought. Cloud had been through the similar experience or even worse than her. "Then?" Lightning asked him again, now felt a bit sympathetic to the SOLDIER.

"Me and Zack managed to escape, but when we were on our way to Midgar, we were ambushed, and Zack died from protecting me. It was my fault, I-I let him die." Cloud felt a bit sad after he mentioned the last part, he tried as best as he could to hold his tears. But as he looked down, Lightning could see a single tear that fell on his hand.

"Cloud, it's okay if you don't want to-" "Don't worry, it's all in my past." Cloud said, cutting her off after he regained back his composure, "After I defeated Sephiroth, he swore me one thing that he would come back again. And after many years I finally found out something terrible within myself."

"What was it?"

"That Sephiroth is actually the manifestation of my dark side. I travelled to many places, sought a way to settle things with him for once and for all to end this, but…" Cloud looked at his hands as he continued, "I don't even think that after all I've done, I could call myself as human again."

"Why? You seem normal for me." Lightning replied as Cloud looked at her sadly.

"Why? Because of… this." Suddenly a large black bat wing appeared from Cloud's right shoulder, making Lightning taken aback and remembered how Cloud used his wing to fly to the Long Gui and cut it into half. "That wing… how did you get it?" she asked him curiously as the wing began to fold back and disappear from his shoulder.

"This is what you'll get when you make a contract with the God of the Dead. New power but also become his slave forever." Cloud answered her.

"Then how did you free from your slavery?"

Cloud then turned his head toward already fallen asleep Sora, "That kid, he was the one who made me realized that I couldn't rely with the power of darkness forever, so I left him without needed to know the consequences. But now this curse won't disappear from my body forever, I'm stuck with it."

"Cloud…" Light couldn't say anything or ask him anything more. Cloud already faced too many hardships in his life. He was betrayed by the man that he once admired, hunted down, lost his friend in their escape, and even had to witness his mother death right in front of his eyes compared with Lightning and Serah who lost their parents since they were little or with what they were being through right now.

"Light, you know…" Cloud said, breaking the moment of silence "Your name and your nickname are very different."

"What do you mean?"

"You said that Lightning is fast and destructive, but Light is different, it's tender and warm." he answered her as Lightning blushed again a bit after heard what he meant.

"A-anyway, it's already night. We should get some rest." Finally snapped back to her serious attitude again, she left him and walked toward the others. When she saw the others including Sazh, Hope, and Fang who already done with their task, except Sora who was still sleeping were grinning at her. She could see the mischievous minds on their faces after realized that they saw the whole conversation after all.

"What's with that smile?" Lightning asked them in her stern soldier tone again, however the others just giggled as Lightning gave them a weird but annoyed look.

"And I thought that you're always grumpy and antisocial miss ex-soldier." Sazh said first, tried to hold his laugh after saw the totally different Lightning for a moment.

"That was very sweet Lightning. I'm glad that you finally met your destined couple" Vanille added, making Lightning angrily blushed at them "Too bad that you didn't make _it_ together, though."

"Wha? I don't-""Wait until I tell Serah about this, who never guess that sis finally found her own hero." Snow added too, making Lightning blushed even more as she tried to hold her urge to punch Snow with all of her might.

"You're one damn lucky girl Sunshine, _(sigh)_ I wish that I was you, he's quite hot you know." Fang teasingly said as she looked at Cloud who seemed didn't pay any attention to them.

"Come on Light, it's not like that you can meet with the man like Cloud every day, right? Even your names are related one another." Hope jokingly added while making a pun with their names: the cloud before the lightning.

"Enough! Now get to sleep or I will make you!" Lightning commanded them threateningly as she prepared to draw the Blazefire Saber, making everyone ran away from her to sleep although they still snickered under their breath for what happened. Sora on the other hand felt disturbed as he began to wake up and scratched his head.

"_(Yawn)_ gimme a break Lightning, I'm trying to sleep here." Sora said before he fell asleep again, making Lightning let out a _sigh_ before she finally went to sleep too.

As they were sleeping, Cloud had a dream; strangely the dream felt very real for him like he was inside it. It was white in all over place, no walls or any obstacles around him, only the pure color of white that shined mildly everywhere he looked at.

"_What is this place? Where am I?" Cloud asked as he looked his surroundings. Suddenly he heard the footsteps that began to approach him from behind._

"_Good to see you again, Cloud." Cloud knew that familiar voice. As he turned back and drew his Fusion Sword, he found his nemesis Sephiroth! The one who had caused him so much suffering, the one who had burned down his hometown, the one who had taken away his mother!_

"_Sephiroth! What are you doing here?" Cloud asked him threateningly, but Sephiroth only smiled at him._

"_Did you already forget? As long as you couldn't accept your darkness, I'll always come back." The silver haired swordsman answered him calmly._

"_What do you want?" Cloud asked him again while preparing himself to attack._

"_I want to take… your most cherished thing, and to make the power of the Keyblade becomes mine. Cloud, you know that light doesn't suit you. You always turn yourself from the light of present, only the darkness that suits you Cloud." Sephiroth answered him calmly again; however Cloud was taken aback after he heard the 'Keyblade power' part, realizing that Sephiroth was after Sora too._

"_What?! This is just between you and me, stop involving the others Sephiroth!"_

"_We will see about that. You better prepare yourself along with that chosen one by the Keyblade Cloud. I shall wait for you and that kid." Sephiroth then faded out as Cloud tried to attack him._

"_Wait Sephiroth!"_ suddenly Cloud woke up from his sleep, realizing that he was dreaming _'Just a dream?'_ He thought as he looked at still asleep Sora _'I hope something bad won't happen to him, this is just between me and him.'_ Cloud thought for the last time as he went to sleep again.

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**For FFVII fans, I know that I altered Cloud's backstory. But since this is Kingdom Hearts Cloud, maybe he had a different backstory. So did I make their (Cloud and Lightning) conversations good enough? Please R&R to tell me what you think. Again I want to thank you CloudxLightningFan97 for giving me the idea about how to do this kind of thing.**


	9. Chapter 9 : Reunion at Taejin's Tower

**This is it! The 9th chapter! Now I'm playing the game again from beginning. And this time I'll get 100% Enemy datalog**

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_Taejin's Tower – The Cloven Spire_

Sephiroth, Xemnas, and Xehanort stared at the flying mechanical being (or it was something like that) that flew in circle. It had the segmented body with the connected orbs as its tail; the one thing that very clear was that thing didn't like any intruders that invaded its abode at the top of the tower as it burnt the nearby Svarogs or any flying creatures down. It was the fal'Cie, the guardian of Taejin's Tower Dahaka.

"I simply must say that is quite a creature." Xemnas spoke first as he crossed his arms, while Sephiroth and Xehanort only nodded at him. "Too bad that it's not one of us, but I bet that creature would make a great heartless to drown this world into the darkness."

Suddenly a dark portal behind them appeared, showing a figure who was about Xemnas or Sephiroth's height. He had a long silver hair too just like the three, but he had the darker skin than them. Also unlike the other members of Organization XIII except their leader who wore the black coat, the man wore the black trench coat with two black shoulder pads, giving him the almost like Sephiroth appearance save for his white gloves, white outer and red inner to his lower coat, and the heartless insignia on his chest. Ansem, Seeker of Darkness or the heartless counterpart of Xemnas.

"Ansem, why do you come? I thought this mission was for me and Xemnas." Xehanort asked as he glared Ansem, but he only smirked at him.

"Unfortunately, Master Xehanort wants you to back to the castle; I'll replace your position for this mission now." Ansem answered him calmly as he walked toward them. It wasn't too long until Sephiroth realized something familiar, the strong scent of the darkness that almost same as him. "I recognize this scent, the darkness. You're the pure being of darkness, aren't you?" Sephiroth asked him calmly as Ansem took the newcomer's presence with the power of darkness.

Ansem smirked again then crossed his arms, while Xehanort only looked at him upset for having to be replaced, but then again he couldn't blame Ansem. It was Master Xehanort himself who ordered him to come back and replaced him with Ansem for the mission.

"So, you are the darkness being too, I see. But how can it be that you aren't the heartless like me?" Ansem asked the swordsman, while Xehanort opened the dark portal for himself and went away, leaving them and making Ansem smirked again as he saw him took his leave.

"I'm the pure being of darkness that appears as the manifestation of someone who couldn't accept his own darkness, thus I shall make him fell into his darkness and make myself complete for once again. But this time, he'll become a puppet who shall obey his master."

The two being of darkness and one being of nothingness were now united. Wanted to destroy the world with the darkness itself and get rid of their nemesis.

It wasn't too long until Sephiroth took something from his hand, a black glowing orb which was none other the Black Materia. The most powerful and fearsome Materia that could call the "Ultimate Destructive Magic" Meteor.

"And what is this one if I may know?" Xemnas asked, now taking an interest to the Black Materia that Sephiroth had.

"A little reminder for him for our reunion." Sephiroth answered him calmly as he looked at the floating Cocoon. What could he have in his mind for the floating continent where millions of people lived in? At the same time the fal'Cie Dahaka finally noticed the three uninvited visitors as it charged toward them.

"But first, I think we have to deal with this place's master first. COME GUARDIAN!" Ansem commanded, summoning his guardian, while Xemnas drew his Ethereal Blades and Sephiroth with his Masamune.

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_Taejin's Tower – The Palisades_

Finally Sora and the others made it into the Taejin's Tower. Although Fang was the one who led them, she couldn't hide her mischievous face, trying to hold her laugh as she still remembered the yesterday's **_'unnoticed by Lightning'_** event. The others however already let it passed as they still needed to find a way to get rid their l'Cie status. Suddenly Vanille noticed the flying Dahaka that flew towards the tower.

"A fal'Cie!" Vanille said, making the others looked at the Dahaka too.

"Oh, so we just head through his fal'Cie lair to get to Oerba, right?" Hope questioned the others, receiving a nod but only from Fang. "What's another fal'Cie at this point, huh?" Lightning asked sarcastically as they entered the giant door that was guarded by two statues, however one of the statues appeared to be crumbled. As they made it inside, the Menhirrim stood at the center of the ground tier. Suddenly Vanille felt something like there was a voice on her head.

"I'm not the only one hearing that, am I?" The redheaded asked the others.

"What? I don't hear anything, what about you Hope?" Sora asked the silver haired teen.

"I don't know Sora, I hear them. It's weird, like they are voices in my head." Hope answered him, although he was still confused with what could have talked with them in minds?

"I hear it." Fang answered as she looked to the Menhirrim. "The tyrant here has been slaughtered by the three dangerous foes that are even more dangerous than him. Leave this place at once."

"We can't leave, this is the only way for us to get through. Please! Help us." Vanille pleaded at the Menhirrim statues. They are already too far to go back, besides Vanille really wanted to see her hometown again. Not to mention that Sora and Cloud were still unsure about their destination. After a moment of silence, finally Fang spoke up, translating the statues language again.

"As you wish. May the one that had been chosen by legend will look upon your way. Wha? What does that mean?" Fang suddenly confused after she translated their last words as she looked at Vanille. But she only shrugged at her, having no idea too just like her.

"Come on, maybe we will find out that soon. So where do we head to then?" Sazh asked as he scratched his head, making the Chocobo chick jumped from his afro and flew towards the Cloud's head instead. Sazh, Sora, Snow, Hope, Fang, and Vanille couldn't resist their urge to laugh as they looked how similar Cloud's blonde hair with the Chocobo chick, Lightning on the other hand only smirked a bit at him as she finally noticed how Cloud's hairstyle really resembled a Chocobo that made the little bird flew toward his head, although she actually wanted to join with them, she had to keep her cool attitude as a soldier, well ex-soldier actually.

"Aha ha, now I see the other usefulness of your spiky blonde hair, Cloud." Sora laughed at him, unaware that he had the same spiky hair too. Cloud however didn't respond him as the Chocobo chick jumped onto his shoulder.

"Now look who's talking! A boy with the same spiky hair too." Sazh said, making Sora scratched his head sheepishly as the others now laughed at him (except the ex-soldiers). Not too long after their funny moment, an elevator or sort like that came down to the ground tier where they was, strangely the elevator made a melodically sound as it descended.

"Whoa, that was easy enough." Snow commented at the sudden elevator's appearance, although he was a bit unsure if that was the only way to reach the top.

"You never know. Could be a trap." Hope said, aware for anything that could ambush them.

"Could be. Don't see stairs, though. Do you?" Sazh agreed with him.

"Nope. This is our ride – bumpy or not." Fang said as she entered the cylindrical elevator, followed by the others.

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_Taejin's Tower – The Cloven Spire_

As they finally made out to the top of the tower without any problems and monsters behind them, they found a not that they expected sight before them. The fal'Cie Dahaka was crumbled on all over its body and its tails had been cut off. The others, especially Fang and Vanille were very surprised at the sudden sight.

"What the?! Who the hell did this?" Snow asked as he looked at the dead fal'Cie.

Just before the rest could wonder the same thing, they heard the footsteps behind it. Sora and Cloud couldn't believe with who they just saw as from behind the dead fal'Cie. Before them stood the three silver haired figures, the two who had become the new member of Organization XIII and one who claimed himself as the darkside of Cloud. Ansem, Xemnas, and Sephiroth.

"It's been a while since we met at the realm of sleep, Sora." Xemnas greeted the spiky brunette Keybearer calmly while Ansem only crossed his arms and gave him a smirk.

"Finally, we meet again, Cloud." Sephirtoh greeted the ex-SOLDIER too; making him drew his fusion sword.

"Xemnas, Ansem! So you're the ones who caused the heartless to appear, huh?" Sora asked them threateningly as he summoned his Keyblade, the two however didn't answer him; instead they only smirked at the Keybearer.

"Yeah, we finally meet again. And this time, we will settle this once and for all, Sephiroth!" Cloud said as he entered his battle stance. Fang, Vanille, Light, Hope, Sazh, and Snow also readied their weapons too, although they are still confused for their new enemies. Barthandelus and his plan already gave them a tough and unsure life or death challenge, and now they must face the silvered haired men other than Yaag Rosch? As they questioned themselves, Fang turned her head toward Sora to ask him something.

"If you want to know who they are, they are our sworn enemies Fang. And careful, they are very strong!" Sora answered her just before she could ask. However, Fang noticed something that was different in Sora; he had the serious look in his face as they weren't the opponents that they could underestimate.

"Ah, fine then." _'Gee, what's wrong with these silver haired guys? Are they somehow related with that Yaag Roch? And damn, why are the bad guys must be so attractive?'_ Fang mentally cursed herself as she looked at their opponent again. For a minute ago, she was almost attracted with their appearance, especially Xemnas and Sephiroth.

Just before they could make their first move, Sephiroth showed them the thing that surprised Cloud so much, the Black Materia! The one that could call the meteor to destroy the planet.

"What?! It can't be!" Cloud said in disbelief as he looked at the black glowing orb.

"Yes, Cloud. I shall do the same thing with this world too just like what I did to Gaia. I shall make Cocoon fall to the Gran Pulse." Sephiroth declared his plan. Lightning and the others was very shocked at his statement, crashing Coccon to the Gran Pulse? Just what kind of man that had such a power to do something like that?

"As Cocoon finally fall to the Gran Pulse, this world shall reveal its Keyhole to its heart. And finally the heartless will consume them, and make this world drown in the sea of darkness." Xemnas explained to the group, although Sora found it somewhat ironic. Usually it was Ansem who always talked about the darkness of the worlds and such the things like that, but since Xemnas already told him the true purpose of high ranked nobodies back at the World That Never Was, perhaps he didn't care about the nothingness or true existent business anymore.

"Crashing Cocoon down?! Like hell we will allow you to do that!" Lightning shouted at them as she transformed her Blazefire Saber into gun mode and shoot the silver haired swordsman. However for her and the other's surprise, just before the bullet could hit Sephiroth, it was stopped by the hand of black creature that appeared from Ansem's right shoulder.

"What the?! What is that?" Hope asked, surprised with the new companion that just arrived before them.

"Ansem's guardian! Careful, it could trap you with its magic by opening your heart to the darkness!" Sora warned the silver haired teen as he nodded at him and prepared himself to attack.

"Serah wanted us to save Cocoon! There's no way we will let you crash it down!" Snow said as he ran toward the three, followed by the others.

"You've come this far and still not understand that darkness is superior? Fine, then let us show you the true essence… OF DARKNESS!" Suddenly the top of tower was covered in darkness force field as Ansem finished his words. Now the battle of the l'Cie, Keyblade Wielder, and the blonde warrior with the darkness had begun.

* * *

**We will have some actions for the next chapter, so stay tuned!**

**By the way, I skipped at the Taejin's Tower exploration because that was very booooring. So I skipped it and went straight to the top and altered a bit dialogues from the actual game.**

**Don't forget to R&R below.**

**PS: Sorry if I didn't give Vanille any appearance for this chapter, I'll give her one when they finally reach Oerba.**


	10. Chapter 10 : Battle of the Darkness

**The 10th chapter is here. I have to say that this one is the hardest for me and maybe not just for this one, but for future chapters too. Anyway, here you go.**

* * *

_The Mysterious Tower – Yen Sid's Study_

"Any news about where Sora is?" Riku asked Yen Sid, "It's been a long time since he disappeared, Yen Sid."

It was almost a week since Sora left them to start his own journey after he failed in his Mark of Mastery exam due of his incapability in resisting his own darkness and fell into it. Riku started to worry if Sora had a hard feeling at first due of his failure, but he quickly snapped at that thought, knowing that Sora wasn't the type who could give up that easily. But still after his disappearance, Riku had an urge to bring him back, because he thought that Yen Sid could give him another chance to take Mark of Mastery again.

"I'm afraid that I don't know where he is, Riku." The wizard answered him "He could be in any worlds that I don't even know."

Riku sighed in defeat after he heard the answer, "Can you give him another chance to retake the exam? I wonder if he took it in the hard way after what he had been through during his nightmares."

"Riku, even though I could give him another chance, I doubt Sora will take it. He already had his mind and heart settled to make his own pathway and strengthen himself against Xehanort's new forces. It's not our right to interfere with his own training journey. Please understand that." Yen Sid replied him calmly as he stood from his table and watched the stars or other worlds from his moon shaped window.

"You're right. Sora has a strong heart, he might failed at the exam, but he will never lose to the darkness or any of Xehanort's men again. I believe that." The silver haired teen said, getting a nod from the former Keyblade Master. "But where's Kairi? I haven't seen her again since I took her here."

Since the news about Xehanort's revival and the assembly of the new Organization XIII. Yen Sid had a feeling that they will after one of seven lights who was also one of the seven princesses of heart. Riku knew that Kairi could use the Keyblade too that made him took her to Yen Sid's tower to train herself in case Xehanort could attack her and she could defend herself.

"I let her to use my personal library first to study the origin and purpose of the Keyblades if you want to meet her."

Riku then walked to the door to see Kairi before he looked at Yen Sid once again "Thanks Yen Sid."

In the room where all kinds of books were arranged, Kairi was reading a big book that appeared to be the book that Sora read before he began his second journey to find Riku. She felt that she couldn't always be the one that protected by Sora or Riku, she could use the Keyblade too; at least she had to prove herself that she could fight too to defend herself. But actually she was quite sad after learning that Sora went away again, but she had to keep herself strong because she knew that sooner or later they would reunite again. As she read the book page by page, suddenly Riku came from the door near the desk where she was reading.

"Kairi, am I bothering you?" Riku asked the red haired girl. "I'll leave if I-"

"No, it's okay Riku. I can continue it later." The redheaded replied him as she stood from her table and approached the silver haired teen. "We still haven't known where he went, have we?"

Riku looked at her sadly, sure she missed Sora as much as he did, but now he was nowhere to be found and Yen Sid didn't know where he could be either since there were many worlds out there. "No, we haven't. But you remember what Sora told you, right?"

"Our hearts are connected. That's what he told to me back at the Traverse Town." Kairi answered him as she put her gentle smile again. "I'm sure we will meet again with him. I really believe that Riku."

"Yeah, I believe that too. Who knows what surprise that he'll show to us when he's back, right?" Riku agreed with Kairi as he leaned against the wall near the book shelves and looked at the sky from the star shaped window.

"Yeah." _'Don't worry Sora, this time I'll protect you too. And wherever you go, I'll always be with you.'_ Kairi thought as she watched the sky too. Unknown by these two that Sora was on the journey at the unknown world where even Riku didn't know anything about it.

* * *

_Taejin's Tower – The Cloven Spire_

**(L'Oscurita dell'Ignoto – KH3D)**

The group divided themselves into three to fight their enemies, Sora was one on one with Xemnas, while Cloud with Sephiroth, and Lightning and her fellow l'Cie with Ansem. Sora made his first attack by attacking Xemnas straight with his **Quick** **Blitz** technique, but Xemnas avoided it easily. Seeing an opening after the last attack, Xemnas slashed his back with his Ethereal Blades, sending the Keybearer towards the rubbles nearby. However thanks to his superhuman strength, Sora managed to keep himself just after the impact as he charged towards Xemnas again. Now tried to attack from above, Sora finally had his Keyblade locked with Xemnas's Ethereal Blades. As they were struggling each other, suddenly Xemnas spoke to him.

"Admit it Sora, you're actually jealous with Riku after he managed to become a true Keyblade Master while you didn't, aren't you?" Xemnas's question made him even angrier as he stepped back a little and gave him a swing that sent him away from him.

"You and your Organization scums were the ones who messed up with my exam! Don't you dare to blame Riku for it!" Sora replied him angrily as he attacked Xemnas again, but for his surprise Xemnas suddenly disappeared before him and reappeared from behind, shooting him with his energy beams that created an explosion. As the smokes faded out, suddenly Sora jumped at Xemnas, approaching him with his high speed from his **Trinity** **Break** **Limit**. Caught off with the sudden attack, Xemnas didn't have a time to evade as Sora slashed him rentlessly with his Keyblade, making Xemnas flew toward the rubbles too.

"I see, you're still a foolish as ever Sora. Perhaps telling you the truth couldn't make you understand." Xemnas's voice echoed from the dusting rubbles where he was thrown at. For Sora's surprise, the rubbles suddenly floated and moved at him with the high speed. Just before it could hit him, Sora slashed it with his Keyblade, destroying it into pieces, but another one was thrown at him. Didn't have a time to destroy another one, Sora jumped the rubble, making his way through Xemnas by wall jumping the rubbles that were thrown from his side and destroying the rubbles that were thrown from his front.

Finally met up with the ex-Superior in Between, the spiky brunette Keybearer was ready to give him the final blow with **Blitz** as he lunged toward him and smashed his Keyblade as hard as he could, creating the thick puff of dust. But only the sound of a hard blow that could be heard after that, seeing his surroundings, Sora found out that Xemnas was nowhere to seen as the dust faded away.

Cloud on the other hand was exchanging attacks with Sephiroth. Neither of them was willing to hold back any punches. As they had their swords locked each other, Sephiroth began to use his talent: 'mind torturing words' to Cloud.

"What makes you sure that you can erase your darkness, Cloud?" Sephiroth asked him calmly, making the spiky blonde haired SOLDIER glared him.

"I'm not gonna tell you!" Cloud replied him angrily and gave him a kick on his gut, sending the silver haired swordsman away from their locked positions. But as Cloud stepped back, Sephiroth already regained his balance and floated above him thanks to his three wings. Readied his battle stance again, Cloud leaped towards him and used his **Cross-slash**. Sephiroth however already anticipated this as he blocked the attacks easily and countered him using his **Octaslash**, leaving the cuts on all over his body and grounded him. As bloods dripped from his wounds, Cloud didn't have another choice but used his darkness power once again; a blue aura suddenly surrounded his body, revealing a large black bat wing from his left shoulder.

"How ironic. You denied your own darkness, but you use the power of darkness that was given to you to fight me. I pity you Cloud." Sephiroth's words made him even angrier. Now using his single black wing to fly, Cloud flied towards Sephiroth to attack him, this time however every time they clashed their swords, the azure sparks of darkness could be seen. Finally locked their weapons once again, Sephiroth spoke again.

"Don't forget that I'm after that power too Cloud, maybe that kid is quite strong, but he also has a weakness with his own darkness, just like you." Cloud's eyes widened after he heard his words, he just realized that Sephiroth was after Sora too for the power of Keyblade. Just after that Sephiroth suddenly disappeared and nowhere to be seen.

"GRAAAAAHHHHHH!"

Shortly after that Cloud heard a painful scream that wasn't too far from his position. As he turned around, he couldn't believe with what he saw, Sora was impaled on his chest with Sephiroth's Masamune just like he was back at the Mako reactor. Bloods flowed form Sora's impaled chest as Cloud could only watched him in horror.

Lightning, Hope, Fang, Vanille, Snow, and Sazh were having quite a trouble with Ansem as his guardian always blocked every attack that they landed on him, but the guardian itself seemed didn't feel hurt after hordes of attacks and magic. Hearing the painful scream, Lightning and the others turned and were shocked with what they saw too. It was a terrifying scene that even made Lightning almost wanted to cover Hope's eyes. They could only watch in horror too at the sight, but quickly snapped away as they knew they were still fighting Ansem.

"Come, open your heart." Suddenly Vanille felt like something was holding her, it was Ansem's Guardian. "Vanille!" Fang tried to call her friend but she didn't respond, what even terrified her was the Guardian used its other free hand to choke Vanille.

"Arrrggh, le-let me go." Vanille weakly said as she struggled to break free, but fail. Tears were formed in her eyes as she feared that her end was near.

_'Maybe this is what I deserved for everything that I've done. A death.'_ she sadly thought for the last time before her hands finally turned limp and fell unconscious.

"VANILLE!" Fang ran after her to break her free, but Ansem stood in her way with his double-bladed Soul Eater in his hand. "It's futile. That girl already let herself to be consumed by the darkness. But don't worry; soon you will end up same and join with her in the embrace of darkness."

"WHY YOU!" Fang then charged toward Ansem, as the double-bladed lance clashed with the double-bladed sword, Fang almost let her tear fell as she watched her childhood friend gotten choked by the black creature helplessly. Ansem on the other hand only smirked for her fear of losing his friend, knowing that feeling would feed the darkness inside her.

_'Vanille, I-I'm so sorry.' _Fang thought as she couldn't hold her tears any longer.

Just before the Guardian could choke the red haired Oerban any longer, a fast swing suddenly cut off its hand, releasing Vanille from its deadly grip and made the black Guardian backed off. Seeing who did that, Ansem growled as he found that Hope's boomerang was the one who cut his Guardian's arm.

"Why don't you pick someone on your size?" Hope said as he caught his boomerang, Fang quickly saw this as an opening and kicked Ansem toward the nearby rubble, creating a thick dust from the blue robed woman's massive strength.

_"(Cough)_ this is not yet over, I'll promise you that! COME GUARDIAN!" The Guardian suddenly reappeared beside Ansem with fully recovered arms. Knowing that he couldn't fight anymore from the last attack, the human form heartless finally took his leave with the portal of darkness.

"Teach him for not to mess with the heroes like us." Snow jokingly said as looked at the fading away portal. Hope, Fang, and Snow quickly ran toward Vanille who was still unconscious, while Lightning and Sazh ran towards Sephiroth who finally pulled off his Masamune from Sora's chest. Noticing the presence of newcomers, Sephiroth quickly avoided Lightning who tried to stab him with her gunblade and gave Sazh a roundhouse kick that sent him away and made him unconscious too. As they exchanged attacks, Cloud who finally had his wing reverted back joined with them in hope to gain the upper hand against the silver haired swordsman. Having their weapons finally locked again, Sephiroth gave the two his calm and yet cruel smile.

"Useless, with the dark aura that Ansem made to this place, even your combined powers couldn't stand a chance. Why don't you give up and let the darkness consumes you?" Sephiroth asked them calmly as he pushed the two soldiers.

"Think about that again, Sephiroth!" A beam of light suddenly pierced through Sephiroth side, making him released their locked position. Sephiroth was surprised after he saw that it was Sora who was shoot him with the tip of his Keyblade, although he still hardly stood up and held his wounded chest with his left arm.

"What a surprise, well we shall meet again Cloud. And don't forget, I will make the power of Keyblade becomes mine sooner or later." Sephiroth said for the last time as he covered himself with his black wing and teleported away **(End of L'Oscurita dell'Ignoto)**. As their enemies went away, the dark barrier finally gone for good, revealing the blue sky of Gran Pulse to the heroes who just defeated their enemies or maybe only for this once.

"SORA!" Cloud and the others, including Sazh who finally woke up from Sephiroth's roundhouse kick and Fang who was carrying Vanille ran towards the spiky brunette Keybearer. Even though Sora was able to stand up, he still needed his Keyblade to help him stood, not to mention that he still held his bleeding wound on his chest thanks to Sephiroth. Cloud quickly searched his pocket to find his Healing Materia to cure Sora before things became even worse. Just before he could find it, Hope used his **Curasa **magic to heal him. In a matter of seconds, his bleeding wound became healed, although Sora still felt the inner pain from the last attack.

"Thanks Hope, I owe you one." Sora grinned at the silver haired teen, giving him a thumb as he finally could stand up and got a relieved nod from the teen. At the same time Vanille finally woke up after been choked near to death from Ansem's guardian. Seeing that Vanille finally regained her conscious, Fang put her down to stand.

"What happened? All that I remember was that black thing suddenly grabbed me from behind." Vanille asked the others, making Fang looked at her sadly.

"You… you were choked by that thing Vanille, and I couldn't save you in time. I-I'm sorry." Fang regretfully answered her. If Hope wasn't there, maybe she wouldn't see her closest friend again forever.

"It's okay Fang, everyone makes mistakes. At least I'm still here right now, right?" Vanille replied her reassuringly, making the blue robed Oerban nodded at her.

"Okay then, Oerba is right down there, isn't it?" Hope asked, finally focused with their primary objectives, to find a way to lose their l'Cie brand.

"Yep!" Vanille answered him happily as they walked towards the cylindrical vehicle that located at the edge of the tower.

"So what's it like?" Snow asked her too.

"Well, it's kind of small. But it's warm and green, and very naturey!"

"Around the fal'Cie and the near death experience, it was flowers as far as you could see, huh?" Fang asked her sarcastically as they entered the cylindrical tube shaped vehicle.

* * *

**That boss music is my favorite along with Young Xehanort's boss music theme. Next chapter, I'll try to make their end of the journey in the Gran Pulse, so I can continue it to Eden.**


	11. Chapter 11 : Oerba

**Chapter 11 is here. Sadly there won't be too much fighting here. **

* * *

_Somewhere in Eden_

Pete and Barthandelus watched how the l'Cie, the Keybearer, and the mako infused SOLDIER fought their new enemies back at the top of Taejin's Tower. Barthandelus was obviously confused but also showed an interest for the three newcomers. Pete on the other hand was totally lost for the silver haired swordsman who wielded the seven foot long katana Masamune. He never met Sephiroth in the first place, but surely from what he had seen; Sephiroth is one of those who shall not to be messed up with.

"Uhhm, so what do we do next Bardhy? Any ideas?" The big cat asked the fal'Cie in disguise.

"It's time for us to play our role, follow me Pete." Barthandelus replied as he raised his staff, his owl bird then came to them and teleported them in a flash of light, transporting those two to Oerba to greet the heroes.

* * *

_Meanwhile inside the cylindrical tube like vehicle_

Everyone stood silent; most of them leaned against the wall since there were no seats inside. They didn't expect a long trip inside the tube towards the Oerba. It was too silent for everyone that could make especially Sora bored very much.

Too silent for everyone inside.

"Say Vanille, you said that destroyed thing was fal'Cie. What is a fal'Cie actually?" Sora asked the red haired Oerban. His question however made the others (except Cloud) stared at him confusedly; how could he don't know about fal'Cie while most of them already lived together with those supernatural beings.

"Well, they are kinda hard to be explained, but all I can tell is we live together with them." Hearing Vanille's answer, Fang couldn't help but facepalmed herself for hearing such a ridiculous answer.

"Nah, to put this easy, the fal'Cie are the beings that supposed to take care of Gran Pulse or Cocoon from any threats, but instead they use the servants known as the l'Cie (shows her brand) who are distinguished by this freaky tattoo. Get it now lil' spiky?" Fang explained as she crossed her arms.

"I think I understand that." Sora replied at her answer while he put his hands behind his head as usual.

Another silence.

"I think we're almost there." Vanille said, breaking the silence. Vanille's guess however was right, not too long after that the cylindrical tube vehicle was stopped.

As the Keybearer, the ex-SOLDIER, and their l'Cie companions got out from the tube, for their surprise. Oerba wasn't like what Vanille told to them before; there were no colorful flowers, green grass or any warmth. Instead the place was deserted, only pure color of white snows that could be seen. Even Vanille and Fang could only watched it in disbelieve, their home village, the once beautiful village had been reduced into dust. The red-haired Oerban almost couldn't hold her tear any longer, but she had to keep herself strong.

"It's all gone." Vanille said disbelieve after watched the Oerba that she and Fang had known before.

"Every trace of color. We're chasing shadows. This whole idea of losing our brands is hopeless!" Fang replied sarcastically, could their journey so far mean nothing? Even for finding a small clue to get rid their brands? What in the name of Etro did the fate have for the l'Cie fugitives?

Feeling not giving up yet, Snow tried to encourage the two Oerbans from their despair. "We can't give up yet. There's got to be a way."

"Let's keep on looking. That's what we came here for. We all agreed, and now we're here." Hope tried to reassure Vanille as he held her hand.

"You think... you think it's really possible?" Vanille asked the silver haired teen, unsure if they still had a hope or not. It was somewhat ironic, she and Fang felt that their only hope was lost, but Hope was the one who reassured her for not give up even on the slightest hope yet. "Sure. Anything is." was his reply to her.

"There's no going back." Lightning reminded the blue robed woman.

"You don't think I know that?" Fang replied her sarcastically as they walked through the snowy hill. When Sora was about to follow them, suddenly Cloud stopped him by holding his shoulder. Confused, the spiky brunette turned his head to the ex-SOLDIER.

"What's wrong Cloud? We should follow them." Sora asked him.

"Sora. It's about Sephiroth. There's something I need to tell you."

"What is it?"

"Sephiroth, he's after your power to wield a Keyblade. He wanted it too, Sora." Cloud's explanation made Sora's eyes widened. Now he understood the meaning of Sephiroth's words back at the Dark Depths in Radiant Garden. Sephiroth wasn't testing him whether he was qualified as the true Keyblade Wielder or not. He actually was AFTER the power to wield Keyblade too.

"What?! Is that why he teamed up with Xemnas and Ansem then?" Sora asked back in disbelieve. Could the Organization XIII want to make Sephiroth as their 13th member? Sephiroth is a darkness being, there was no light inside him. If Xehanort wanted to make him as one of his incarnations, then it would mean a big trouble! Sephiroth himself already proved a tough challenge for Sora.

"A man like Sephiroth usually will make his own way and he would do anything for that, even if that means backstabbing the others. Better be careful, he could be in nowhere." The spiky blonde SOLDIER explained him based from his own experience with Sephiroth. Cloud was actually feeling guilty for Sora. He knew that Sora already had his own nemesis, but he didn't expect that Sephiroth would end up as one of the Keybearer's enemies too. Maybe if he could, he would switch his position with Sora to face Sephiroth himself. He couldn't involve the others again, until finally he came into one conclusion.

"Sora. After this, maybe we should leave them." Cloud suggested the spiky brunette as he tapped his shoulder and looked their l'Cie companions. "The reason why we're here in the first place is only to find Sephiroth and to find the Keyhole of this world for you, isn't it?" Cloud however didn't realize that he just said 'our'. Usually Cloud didn't care about the other's business, could that because now Sephiroth was after Sora too? Or had he changed to become more open with the others?

"Yeah, that's true. But why do we have to leave them? They're my friends too, Cloud." Sora replied him pleadingly; he wasn't a type who would abandon the others when needed. Cloud could understand his hesitation to leave the l'Cie, but that wasn't the point. In fact, Cloud just worried if they stick together with them, Sephiroth would involve them too.

"And Sephiroth would drag them in this matter. We only brought more trouble to them than before." Cloud said as he followed the l'Cie. "Maybe you should consider my words, Sora."

Sora looked at the ground. He was very unsure whether to leave them and continued their first objective or not. He knew that tagged along with Light, Snow, Sazh, Vanille, Hope, and Fang would also drag them into their problems as well, but he just felt that he needed to help them aside from his own personal goal.

"Cloud." Sora called the SOLDIER, making him stopped and looked at the Keybearer back "You know. I'm just following what my heart says. And right now, it's telling me to help my friends no matter what. And I'll do it."

"Then follow it." Was the only Cloud's reply before he walked back, followed by Sora.

As they finally made their way inside the village, for everyone's surprise. Not only the village was deserted, the Vampire, Taxim, Varcolaci, Chonchon, Seeker, and Vetala Cie'th could also be seen fighting the Large Body, Fat Bandit, Neoshadow, Defender, Gargoyle, and Invisible heartless. Sora's eyes widened, there's no way that heartless would appear with the same number as the Cie'th unless someone controlled them to make them appeared with the certain amount.

"_(Sigh)_ Now our home had been turned into a brawling area for heartless and Cie'th." Fang commented sarcastically at the view.

"But they seem ignore our presence which is a good thing for us, right?" Hope asked Fang back.

Lightning stepped forward as she looked at the **_'now turned into a street brawl'_** village. "We should split up; we'll meet again here after thirty minutes. Search for anything that could be a clue for us." Everyone nodded at her suggestion. Even though crawled with heartless and Cie'th, they didn't notice the presence of the l'Cie and the spiky duo.

"But who goes with whom? There are eight of us." Sora asked the pink haired soldier as he scratched his head.

"How about make it into four groups then? One group consists two people." Sazh suggested the others. "I'll let you decide to go with whom, I'm fine with anyone."

"I'll go with you." Snow answered first.

"I'm with Vanille." Hope answered too. Vanille, however was quite confused, why he wanted to go with her? He could choose Lightning or Fang or even Cloud who definitely was stronger to protect him.

"I guess I'll with Sunshine then." Fang answered as she patted Light's shoulder.

"Then I'm with Cloud." Sora answered too as he looked Cloud with his friendly smile. Cloud however only gave him a slight nod with his idea.

Finally settled, the group began on their search in four different locations. Fang and Light were searching at the old schoolhouse, Hope and Vanille were searching at old house nearby, Sazh and Snow were searching at the abandoned mill, and finally Sora and Cloud searched at the bridge that appeared to be rust eaten.

"Say Hope, why did you pick me as your partner?" Vanille asked the silver haired teen, making him turned his head towards her.

"I don't know, I just did it. But you know Vanille, at the same time, maybe I picked a good choice too." Hope replied her with a smile. "And you know, back then when I said that that it makes me happy when you smile, I-I wasn't joking. I really meant it." Vanille was taken aback with Hope's words, so he really liked it when she smiled.

"O-oh, I-I didn't know you really meant that. A-anyway let's keep searching okay. Maybe we-we can discuss it later." Flustered, Vanille quickly turned back searching for something while Hope only chuckled a bit at her reaction. Was he really serious or did he only want to tease her again? But then again, Vanille's smile always gave him the spirit to keep on. Maybe that was the reason why he picked her as his partner.

* * *

_Meanwhile with Sazh and Snow…_

"Say pops, how did you end up with Vanille on Palamecia?" Snow asked the afro haired man as he moved away some rusty things.

Sazh could only sigh while he searched something from what appeared to be used as a tool box. "Back then at Nautilus, I was ready to give up myself to PSICOM. I thought by doing so, I could meet again with my son Dajh. But Vanille prevented me to do that."

"Whoa, what happened then?" Now the trench coat finally stopped and crouched down, wanted to hear more about his story just after they parted away back at Lake Bresha.

"We were chased by the Guardian Corps, in the end I finally reunited with Dajh, but then he turned into a crystal. It turned out that his Focus was somewhat to find us, the Pulse l'Cie."

"Focus?! You mean your son is l'Cie too?" Snow was surprised after he heard the Focus part.

"Yeah, but different. He's the Cocoon l'Cie. Anyway after that I finally knew the reason why Dajh turned into l'Cie was because back at the Euride Power Plant, the fal'Cie there turned him into l'Cie because of Fang and Vanille's presence as the Pulse l'Cie. I was devastated, anger, and broken at the same time after learned that Vanille was the reason why Dajh was taken away from me. Then PSICOM troops captured both of us and the rest, well you know it."

"Whoa, I never know that you had a quite hard time. Sorry for that." Snow apologized to him after he heard his story; in fact Snow mentally slapped himself for asking him such a question like that.

"Nah it's okay. With what Vanille told to me, I know that one day Dajh will wake up from his crystal stasis, just like your Serah. Okay I already told mine, so what about you? How did you meet with miss grumpy and her friends again?" Now it was Sazh's turn to ask him about what happened after they left him with crystallized Serah back at the Lake Bresha.

"Well then, after you left I was ambushed with the PSICOM soldiers. They almost had me at first, but my Eidolons Stiria and Nix made a short work for them. Not too long after that I met Fang and the Calvary unit. After learned from Fang that Serah would wake up again, I was relieved. I decided to help them finding the l'Cie at Palumpolum who turned out to be sis and Hope. Then when we heard about your execution news, well you know it pops." Snow explained him.

"Sounds like you had busy hours back there." Sazh was about to lean against the drawers, but it suddenly fell. "WHOA! Didn't see that coming."

Just before Snow helped him to stand up, he noticed something that appeared to be an old book covered in dust. Snow grabbed it, wiped the dust, and then began to read it, however…

"Man, it's written in Pulse language. I don't even understand a word."

"What have you expected from the Pulse properties? Come on, let's head back. Maybe Fang or Vanille could translate it for us." Sazh suggested as they returned to their rendezvous point.

* * *

_With Fang and Lightning…_

The two women were inside a now broken classroom. Lightning remembered how Serah wanted to be a school teacher for kids, but seeing the destroyed school made her a bit sad. As she was in her thought, she could hear the footsteps sound descending from the ladder.

"Yo Sunshine, found anything yet?" Fang asked the pink haired soldier.

"No, not yet."

"Well, I found this one." Fang replied as she showed her a slate which already crumbled at the bottom. "The top here says l'Cie, maybe it had anything to do with our Focus."

"Well then, let's go back with the others." Just before Light left the schoolhouse, Fang chuckled behind her.

"What's so funny?" Light asked in her stern voice again.

"Admit it. You want to go back immediately, so you can see that spiky blondie again, am I right?" Fang answered her in her teasing tone, making Lightning flustered and angry again at the same time.

"What are you talking about?! We will back because you have found that thing! Now stop daydreaming and go!" Lightning replied or more likely commanded her to drop the subject. Sighing, Fang only followed her behind while she held the slate to their rendezvous point.

* * *

_Meanwhile, Sora and Cloud…_

"Found anything yet?" Sora asked with his Keyblade in his hand after slayed the Vetala Cie'th.

"Not yet. This place is sure such a mess." Cloud replied him as he watched the whole Oerba from the top of rusted building. He couldn't help but remembered how Nibelheim was burned down into ashes. Even though his hometown had been rebuilt, he had no more reasons except remembering his horrific past before Sephiroth went to rampage the whole village.

"We should head back, maybe the others already found something. Nothing we could find here." The spiky brunette Keybearer said as they jumped off from the top and walked back toward the others.

As they finally met up, they could see that Fang was carrying a slate, Snow was carrying an old book, Vanille was carrying a pet-like robot that she found while Sora and Cloud didn't get anything at all.

"Okay, so let's see what we have now." Fang said as she put the slate, followed by Snow with the old book, and Vanille with the strange robot.

"I can't believe you got Bhakti instead the clue for our Focus." Fang facepalmed herself after she looked at the robot pet that only made the robotic sound at her response.

"Bhakti?" Sora asked, confused with the name that he just heard.

"My robot pet. Oh look Sora; he wants to say hi to you." Vanille answered as she pointed Bhakti who was circling around Sora. "Umm, nice to meet you I guess?"

"Okay, so we got this book. Think you can translate it for us, Fang?" Snow asked, handed over the book to her.

"Hmm, the title says _"Analects"_, maybe we could find something here. Oh, and I found this crumbled slate too; the top here has 'l'Cie' word written on it." The blue robed Oerban replied as she put the slate down and began to read the book. However just before she could read it, they could hear someone's voice echoed around them.

_Ragnarok. Come Day of Wrath, O Pulse l'Cie... _

_Embrace thy fate, thine home to burn... _

_That fallen souls might bear our plea... _

_To hasten the Divine's return. _

_O Piteous Wanderer, Ragnarok... _

_Make of this day a brave epoch._

_Deliver the Divine. _

_Ragnarok._

As they turned around, everyone was surprised whose voice it was. Before them was a girl who was about eighteen in age with the pink hair similar with Lightning's with a curled ponytail on her left side. She wore red plaid pleated skirt lined with black lace, a white sleeveless dress shirt, a semi-transparent pink sweeper, a hair tie on her left wrist, a pair of black thigh-high stockings, and ivory ankle boots.

She was Serah Farron, Lightning Farron's younger sister and Snow's fiancée.

* * *

**Yeah, I'm into HopexVanille here after watched their cute scene at Yashcas Massif area. Next chapter will be the end of their journey on Gran Pulse and I'll put some actions. And for additional info, I put the analects from the game into the book.**


	12. Chapter 12 : Their Own Worst Enemy

**Boy this chapter is hard to made. Sorry for late update. Anyway this is the last chapter on the Gran Pulse, but trust me, this is not the end of the story.**

* * *

"What?" Lightning was surprised with her sudden appearance. They witnessed it with their own eyes how Serah turned into her crystal stasis back at Pulse Vestige. How could she come back then?

"Serah? How did you-?" Snow didn't waste any time, the trench coat ran and hugged her immediately, fearing if he would lose her again. The pink haired girl returned the hug with her tender smile; however something was a bit strange about her.

"I was waiting. For you to open your eyes. All the time I was asleep, I knew what was happening. I kept trying to think up a way to save Cocoon - together." Serah said to her fiancée and her sister. But her voice was somewhat demanded than asked them for a help.

"So, that's Serah, huh?" Sora asked Hope as he looked at her from afar.

"Yeah. She is Snow's fiancée. But what I wonder is how did she wake from her crystal stasis? We saw how she turned into a crystal back then." Hope answered him, yet confused at the same time too.

_'Gee, her face kinda reminds me with Kairi.'_ Sora thought as he looked the couple again. Realizing the huge difference between their heights, the spiky brunette mentally found it quite funny, good thing he was a bit taller than Kairi.

"Serah?" Snow then slowly pushed her away. Confused why Serah suddenly talked like she wanted them to fulfill their Focus that Barthandelus told them back at Palamecia?

Smirked at her fiancée and sister's confusion, Serah explained them, "You get it now. There are no gods with miracles to save us, no matter where you look. That's why we have to call one. Destroy Orphan. We'll save the world!" Lightning was taken aback with her words. What made her completely changed like that? She wasn't like Serah that she had known before.

"Stop it!" Lightning was about to draw her Blazefire Saber, but she hesitated. She already made her cried for threatening her as the l'Cie back when her 21st birthday at Bodhum and she couldn't save her from the Pulse Vestige. There's no way that she would do the same thing again.

Serah however wasn't intimidated a bit; instead she approached her sister closely. "You can't do that. You love me too much. You do. Don't you, Claire?" The pink haired asked her like she wanted to challenge her.

Feeling the tension that rose between the Farron sisters, Snow tried to compose the two. "Enough already! Listen up. We are all shooting for the same goal here."

Suddenly Serah's body covered in light, revealing that she wasn't the real Serah. She was none other than Barthandelus in disguise, the one who had told the l'Cie the painful truth behind their Focus. Angered with what Barthandelus did by disguising as Serah, Snow charged at him.

"YOU SON OF A-" his attack however missed because he suddenly vanished and reappeared on the other side. Snow tried to attack him once again only to get thrown by the barrier that Brathandelus created.

"You betray your fal'Cie to chase after dreams and shadows. The world you claim to wish to protect now faces the end of days with no hope of salvation." Barthandelus explained them.

"I didn't think fal'Cie had the means." Lightning replied him as she helped Snow to stand again.

Barthandelus however only smirked at her words. "Oh, it won't be fal'Cie who destroy her. For centuries now, Cocoon has provided generously for its human inhabitants' every want and need. Coddled them, one might even say. The result being their deep-seated fear and hatred of change and all things alien. Fed, nutured, and ready to detonate at the slightest spark. The seeds of destruction take root, even now."

"Then what did you do to Cocoon?" Lightning asked, now realizing that even though Dysley was just a fal'Cie in disguise, he was still the Primarch of Cocoon. The one who had the responsibility to govern the citizen of the floating continent filled with the fear of l'Cie and Pulse.

Knowing her question, Barthandelus only smirked at the group, "I resigned, appointing Raines as Primarch in my stead."

Hearing his statement, the l'Cie couldn't believe with what they just heard; Cid Raines, the one who made them realized that the humans shouldn't be controlled by the fal'Cie; the one who had turned into l'Cie by Barthandelus yet defied his own Focus, the one that they defeated back at the Fifth Ark even though he was meaning to free them from their fate as l'Cie was still alive?

"Raines, he's alive?" Snow asked.

"The puppet is restrung to serve my needs, yes. Its eyes had long since turned to glass. Of course, the Cavalry's eyes will see our friend as nothing more than a traitor to their cause. They'll say the fal'Cie got to him, too, or some such drivel. And imagine - when I spread the word that it's Orphan tugging at his strings - what happens next." Now everything was clear. Barthandelus revived Raines and placed him in his position as the new Primarch, so the Calvary would see him as the traitor. If he couldn't use the l'Cie to take out Orphan, he could use the Calvary instead to destroy Orphan in the name of freedom for people of Cocoon.

"You're gonna use the Calvary to take this thing out?" Sazh asked, surprised with what he had schemed.

"Perhaps. Or perhaps I'll feign the howling of Pulsian wolves and let the fear-addled sheep slaughter themselves first. Either way, the end is at hand." Barthandelus chuckled as he continued. "But what of yourselves? Will you enjoy the festivities beside me? Or perhaps..." Suddenly his owl came onto him and he covered himself in a flash of light, transformin himself into a white massive machine with two gigantic claw hands, "Greet the end here, in the land where it all began?"

Suddenly Pete jumped out above his head and proudly showed himself to the others, "And don't forget to add drowned by the darkness. MWAHAHAHAHAHA!" Sora was shocked with his appearance, so Pete was the reason why the heartless appeared in this world. "And nice to see ya again, ya lil' spiky keybrat."

The others were confused, what was the creature they saw above him? A big anthropomorphic animal in some weird suit?

"Oh geez, another weirdo after the fal'Cie. Oh great, just what we need." Fang commented with Pete's appearance, making him anger.

"Hey! Who are ya callin weirdo, woman?! The name's Pete! The one and the only Mighty Capt'n Pete!" Pete replied the blue robed Oerban angrily as he unwarily thumped above Barthandelus's head.

"Watch it Pete! You shall feel the consequences for that!" the fal'Cie warned him in his robotic voice. "Whoa, so-sorry there Bardhy." Pete stuttered as he stopped thumping above his metallic head.

"Never thought gonna see your fat belly again, Pete!" Sora greeted the big cat as he summoned his sword looking Keyblade, the Dive Wing.

Finally snapped out from his fear with Barthandelus, Pete backed to his cocky personality. "That's right ya lil' Keybrat. And this time I would find this Keyhole and send the heartless wit da help of mah new pal, Bardhy. Heartless squad, regroup!"

The heartless who were fighting with the Cie'th heard the command. They immediately left their opponents and went to their new ones. The Keybearer, the SOLDIER, and the l'Cie now not only surrounded by the enormous size of the fal'Cie, but also with the heartless squadron.

**(Fighting Fate – Final Fantasy XIII)**

"We have to separate!" Sora said as he ran from the group towards the heartless followed by Cloud. Lightning didn't have time to argue with him only nodded at the Keybearer, she knew that Sora was more experienced with the heartless while they ever fought Barhandelus before. Barthandelus gave them the laser beams from his head which easily dodged by the l'Cie, seeing an opening, Lightning fired her gunblade to Barthandelus's head. Surprisingly the bullet exploded upon the impact, thanks to her **Firestrike **technique. Angered, Barthandelus swung his gigantic robotic claw to the pink haired soldier, making her flew and caught by Snow. "Easy there sis. Now it's time for some hero action." Snow said as he put her to stand and ran to the fal'Cie.

"Yo, pops! Gimme some cover here!" the trench coat called Sazh. "Kids nowdays, quit callin me pops will ya?" Sazh replied him defiantly at his nickname as he used his version of **Blitz**, giving Snow a covering fire as he jumped over Barthandelus.

"AND HERE IT COMES!" Snow shouted as he punched Barthandelus, creating massive explosion from his **Sovereign Fist. **After the dusts created from the explosion finally faded, the others were surprised after they found out that Barthandelus's face was covered in shield as he exposed his metallic face along with his evil grin and his four plate faces. "Piteous l'Cie, you dare to defy your own destiny and rather turn into a mindless monster. You shall destroy Orphan before the Calvary and bring the chaos upon Cocoon!" Barthandelus said as he shoot more lasers from his smaller heads.

Sora and Cloud on the other hand didn't have too much problem with the heartless as they were totally weaker with their current strength. The Gargoyle heartless tried to dodge every attack, but ultimately met their end with Sora's **Triple Plasma** tech. The Invisible tried to attack Cloud with their immense speed, but thanks to his mako enhanced strength and speed, Cloud managed to evade them easily and countered them with **Braver**. "This could take forever, we need another strategy." Cloud said as he slashed one Invisible into black smoke. "Only one way to take the hordes of heartless. GATHER!" Sora replied, using his **Magnega **to suck all heartless, except for Large Body, Fat Bandit, and Defender heartless.

"The magnet sphere can't last too longer, hurry up Cloud!" hearing his warning, Cloud immediately jumped, spinning his sword with blue aura and clashed it to one of the sucked heartless. The Fusion Sword then split into six pieces, encircling the heartless group. Using his **Omnislash Ver. 5** Cloud slashed through the heartless in immense speed. With the final all range single attack, all of the the heartless dissolved into black mists. Using the First Tsurugi from the split sword, Cloud prepared himself for the big heartless.

"Way to go! Now it's my turn." Sora exclaimed as he ran toward the Large Body and Fat Bandit. The Fat Bandit tried to roast him with its fire breath, but Sora dodge rolled the attack, making the fire hit the Large Body instead. Confused with Sora's disappearance, the fat heartless looked everywhere only to find a big chunk of ice, obliterating it into black smoke as the **Blizzaga **ice block made contact.

"This ends now!" Cloud said as he rushed through the Defender's shield and impaled it, making it faced the same fate with the other heartless.

Finally defeated all of the heartless, the duo turned their heads toward Pete. Sora looked at the _'now shaking from the fear' _big cat with a grin, while Cloud only looked him emotionlessly.

"Wh-Why you! This isn't over yet ya spiky duo, I'll be back with even stronger reinforcements." Pete said as he summoned the dark portal and ran inside it. "Geez, sometimes he gives me a headache." Sora commented at his runaway, Cloud however didn't respond, instead he ran to the l'Cie who were fighting the fal'Cie to join with them. "Snap! I forgot the other one!" Sora mentally cursed himself as he followed the blonde SOLDIER.

Lightning, Hope, Sazh, Snow, Vanille, and Fang weren't in too good state. They already exhausted, while Barthandelus didn't seem tired at all. "We need the Eidolon to get through with this! ALEXANDER!" Hope suggested the others as he summoned his Alexander, followed by Odin, Brynhildr, Stiria and Nix, Hecatoncheir, and finally Bahamut. "Coordinates between the attack and defense! ODIN!" Lightning commanded the double bladed sword wielding warrior with shield. Odin used his **Crushing Blow**, leaving the big scar on Barthandelus's face. Angered, Barthandelus used his **Thanatosian Laughter**. Barthandelus's head suddenly was opened, revealing many cannons inside that fired several laser beams, damaging the Eidolons that forced Lightning and the others to dismiss them.

"Damn. Quick we have to regroup and attack him altogether!" Just before the others could follow Light's order, a quick flash went straight Barthandelus's faceplates. The fal'Cie then realized something; a crack was heard on his faceplates, only in the seconds the faceplates were crumbled into pieces. "What the?!" Everyone including Barthandelus looked confused; as he turned around he found out that Sora was the one who cut his faceplates with his **Zantetsuken**. "You little pest!" Just before the fal'Cie could do any harm to him, many fiery meteors rain down from the sky, hitting the fal'Cie right on his face and broke it, showing many exposed components from the last attack. It turned out that Cloud used one of his Limit, **Meteorain**.While the l'Cie were still processing about what just happened, Barthandelus reverted into his human form. **(End of Fighting Fate)**

"The time has come. Allow me to extend my invitation. To save a people beyond salvation, there is only Ragnarok or else…" Barthandelus said as he looked Sora with another plan on his mind while his robotic owl turned into an airship right before them. "Cocoon suffers. Release her from the pain." He said for last time as he disappeared.

The l'Cie could only sigh in defeat (mainly Sazh) while Lightning and Fang wondered what the spiky duo had done earlier. "What did you do back there? What kind of magic that could summon meteor rain?" Lightning asked Cloud as she approached him.

"Yeah, and what was that before kiddo? You just swoosh him like that and cracked all of the faceplates? Even though you guys aren't l'Cie, your power and magic obviously surpassed any kind of magic that we've learnt." Fang asked Sora too as she put her hands on her waist while looking at the spiky brunette.

"Well, that's my ultimate attack called **Zantetsuken**." Sora replied as he put his hand behind his head again and grinned as usual.

"The meteors that you just saw were my Limit Break, **Meteorain. **Put in simple, it's almost same as Sora's fire magic but stronger." Cloud replied with a bit lie, not wanting to explain about Limit Breaks.

"More importantly Fang, we got rid of them, so you can read the book and the slate again for us." Sora said as he pointed the book, along with the slate and Bhakti.

"Damn right, I almost forgot about our brands." Fang facepalmed herself as she re-opened the book. "Well, here goes…"

"Cocoon, where the slaves of Lindzei dwell, is the enemy of all life fostered by Pulse's sacred hand. So our Fal'Cie determined Pulse's will, chose l'Cie and gave them a Focus: Become Ragnarok, and bring about the end of Cocoon. And so the beast arose, defeated Lindzei's hateful fal'Cie, and prepared to tear Cocoon apart. But her Providence betrayed our l'Cie, draining Ragnarok of strength. Their Focus only half complete, the l'Cie were taken to the enemy's land... by Barthandelus, curse his name. And the Goddess said:… Hmm? Where's the rest of it?" Fang realized that the text was ended at the word said. Examining the slate to find another clue, Fang found out something that was none other than the continuation of the book. "L'Cie who rest upon Cocoon will reawaken, however long they may wait. And Rangarok will rise again, to tear the land from its sear in the sky. Her word... is absolute."

"So that's right, people of Cocoon are just being manipulated for believing things on Pulse, everything is clear now." Lightning commented after she realized the whole thing about what happened between the Pulse and Cocoon in reality.

"And to make this even worse, we're l'Cie, who gonna believe with this?" Sazh questioned them sarcastically. Right, people of Cocoon were afraid with Pulse or l'Cie from what they had learnt from the history of the War of Transgression. Even though the l'Cie, the Keybearer, and the SOLDIER knew the truth, who would believe them? Even though Sora and Cloud weren't l'Cie, people of Cocoon would easily judge them as one of them. "Another war breaks out somewhere down the road. We're l'Cie. It's not like we can make people stop fighting." Lightning said, agreed with Sazh.

Seeing the others like they didn't have any hope, Hope tried to reassure them. "Lightning, you told me on Cocoon. It's not a question of can or can't. We just do it. That's our only choice this time. Maybe it won't do much. Maybe only one person will listen to us. But even then, isn't trying better than doing nothing?" Vanille then realized something in his words, yes maybe no one would understand them due of their status as l'Cie, but slowly but sure, people in Cocoon would open their eyes from the fake fear created by the fal'Cie.

"Because ripples can make waves!" Vanille happily exclaimed as she shook Hope's shoulders.

"All right then. Let's tie up the loose ends." Lightning said before she turned to the spiky haired duo. "What about you? Still want to keep up with us?" she asked as she crossed her arms.

"Well, I don't know anything about this Barthandelus. But seeing he made an alliance with Pete, there's no way I'm going to let him go just like that." Sora determinedly replied at her question.

"Sephiroth could be anywhere, maybe I could find him on this Cocoon. I'm in." Cloud answered her too as he fused back his Fusion Swords. The others again were in their mischievous minds, thinking that Lightning was actually expecting that from the mako infused SOLDIER as they tried to hold their smirk. Lightning then quickly gave them her serious death glare, making them snapped out from their funny imagination.

"Ah, a small problem though. I don't think that this ship could hold all of us." Sazh said at the sudden realization that when they were on the ship for last time. It was only six of them and the ship was already full.

"No problem with that, POWER!" again Sora summoned his Bahamut. As the sky turned dark again the gigantic dragon descended from the magical circle, showing itself before the others with its hands crossed. The others (except Fang who felt defeated again), especially Hope and Vanille watched in awe how big the Bahamut was with its intimidating look.

"_(Whistle) _Never thought that you had such a badass Eidolon, kid." Snow commented at Bahamut's appearance.

"I can't believe if I didn't see it with my own eyes. And I thought my Bahamut Eidolon was the only one that could fly. But most of all I can't believe that he (Fang refers summon with he/she) belongs to a little kid like you." Fang's words however were overheard by the Bahamut, making the giant dragon glared her with its piercing eyes and growled a bit.

"Uhm Fang, I think you made him upset." Vanille whispered to her Oerban friend, receiving a slight nod from her. The others (except the ex-soldiers again) chuckled a bit for the sight, Fang just made an Eidolon mad whereas they supposed to obey their l'Cie masters. But then again, they realized that Sora's Bahamut wasn't Eidolon but a summon creature, well a big dragon summon that shared the same name as Fang's Eidolon actually. "Oookay big boy, I'll watch my mouth for next time. No hard feelings, kay?" Fang apologized to Bahamut as she stepped back from it while raised her hands in defense.

"Okay, enough with this. Come on, let's rock inside Cocoon and show the Brhandely thingy a thing or two." Sazh said as he walked toward the ship, followed by the fellow l'Cie, while Sora mounted the Bahamut on its back, along with Cloud. However as they left the Gran Pulse, three shadowy figures who were none other than Xemnas, Ansem, and Sephiroth watched them.

"It appears that we have the third party for this one." Xemnas said as he looked at the dragon and the airship.

"You're right. Maybe I should go back and tell Master Xehanort about this." Ansem agreed with him as he vanished in a black portal.

"Shall we follow them?" Sephiroth asked the ex-Superior in Between.

"Patience. A good climax is usually begun with a good event. Let's enjoy this for now." Xemnas replied as the two watched them flew inside Cocoon with evil smirks on their faces.

* * *

**From what I've seen in the game, the ship was quite small that no more rooms left after all of them entered it. So I just figured out, why don't use something cooler like like a flying summon?**

**R&R Please.**


	13. Chapter 13 : The Chaos on Cocoon

**WOW! 13th Chapter and This is the number that associated with both Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy XIII!**

_** LittleKing9512: Well, I know that Sora had to use Limit Form in KH2FM to perform Zantetsu Counter, but I don't like that Form even though it's very powerful that might surpass the Final Form in terms of power only. So I put his old Zantetsuken from the 1st Final Mix.**_

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Radiant_ Garden – Ansem's Study_

Lea returned to see his friends back when they were the nobodies in the Organization XIII, but thanks to Sora's past deeds, they returned again as the normal humans. Lucky for Lea because Ienzo, and Even didn't have any grudge against him for the incident back at the Castle Oblivion in their Organization XIII days. As the spiky redhead entered the room, he found that only Ienzo who was there, sitting before the table that belonged to their lost master: Ansem The Wise.

"Hey Ienzo, what's with that long face?" Lea asked the bluish grey haired scientist casually.

"_(Sigh) _I can't believe it. Most of the previous research data that Xehanort made were lost, we don't have any clue about what he gonna do next. This is a wild goose chase." Ienzo answered him frustratingly for having no clue so far about what was the mad man planning.

Lea however only patted his shoulder while taking a peek into one of the book pages that Ienzo read. "Hey relax, maybe we just haven't found it yet. Say how about I buy us sea salt ice creams? You know to refresh ourselves?"

"No thanks Lea, by the way have you found the other member of the former Organization yet?" Ienzo's question however made Lea sadly looked down at the floor. Confused, Ienzo asked him again. "What's wrong Lea?"

"Well, I've found Braig and Isa, but they…" Lea didn't have any problem to tell him that Braig had chosen to keep with the new Organization XIII as Xigbar, but he felt that he didn't have enough courage to tell the same thing for Isa, his best friend since they were little.

Looking at his expression, Ienzo could tell what happened to those two. "What?! I don't understand. Why are they still with Xehanort?"

"_(Sigh) _I wish I know the answer too, but I don't know." Lea replied as he sat on the book shelf nearby.

"Well, at least we still know that they're okay. Maybe we only need to think another way to convince them to quit from Xehanort's new organization. So have you found what happened to the rest?" Ienzo asked again, referring Malruxia, Larxene, Demyx, and Luxord.

"Not yet Ienzo, not yet. But guess what? I found something even cooler than that." The redhead replied happily as he jumped down from the book shelf, summoning his Keyblade that resembled his fire chakrams. Ienzo was taken aback; he didn't know that Lea could summon a Keyblade too.

"What the?! How did you do that?" Ienzo asked, surprised with the Keyblade's sudden appearance.

"Actually I'm still training for this one. Didn't know how I got it at the first place though." Lea answered him while playing with his Keyblade by spinning it on the air and caught it. "By the way where are Dilan, Even, and Aeleus?"

"They are inside the computer room, trying to search any data or files that related with Xehanort's experiments. Say I want to get some fresh air outside, wanna come?" The bluish grey haired scientist said as he closed his book and walked to the door.

"Heyheyhey, wait for me will ya?" Lea replied him as he dismissed his Keyblade and followed him outside. "I wanna buy some ice creams too anyway."

The duo then walked away from the Ansem's study, wanted to forget the serious thing for a moment and enjoyed themselves a bit, especially Ienzo since he had spent most of his time reading almost all of the books related with Xehanort's previous experiment about the heart of the worlds and the door of darkness.

* * *

_Cocoon - Eden - Grand Prix Circuit_

It was nighttime on Eden, Seat of Sanctum. The capital of Cocoon that shared its name with its fal'Cie patron. The host to the Lightning's world's centers of culture and government, the heart of human society on Cocoon. Cid Raines, the new Primrach in under control of Barthandelus watched the city under his eyes. It was the night where the citizens were cheering for their better tomorrow in Cocoon after they thought that the l'Cie terror finally ended forever as well for Raines who had been appointed as the new Primarch.

As the velocycle gran prix race began, suddenly the gate of Cocoon was cracked, revealing two things in the air which were none other than Barthandelus's ship and Bahamut. Most of people however panicked at the shape of the gigantic dragon that growled in the middle of race, catching off one of the velocycle drivers and threw him away, luckily before he could hit the ground, Snow arrived with his Shiva in Geastalt Mode, saving him before he met his end. "And the hero saves the day!" Snow exclaimed, waving his hands at the spectators who cheered him for his heroic action. However they soon realized that Snow was the l'Cie after they saw his mark from the main screen.

"He's a l'Cie! Everyone run!" One of the spectators shouted, making the situation even worse. "Oh my, I should've covered that." Snow muttered under his breath, mentally cursed himself for not covering his brand with something before they arrived. In an instant, the Guardian Corps, along with the PSICOM soldiers secured the area with the help of their militarized equipment like Alpha, Beta, Lodestar, and Proto Behemoth, Manasvin and Anavatapta Warmechs. "Nothing can stop us now. ODIN!" Lightning then summoned her Eidolon Odin who then entered his Gestalt Mode and let her rode him with his two blades. Only in many seconds the horseback riding soldier destroyed the Anavatapta Warmech in a single hit from her own **Zantetsuken** technique. "Guess time to join the party." Sazh commented as he summoned his Brynhildr who then transformed into a steampunk style racing car as her Gestalt Mode followed by Fang's Bahamut, Hope's Alexander, and Vanille's Hecatoncheir. Sora's Bahamut however was having a hard time managing its anger as it rentlessly assaulted every military units by using its tails, claws, or even its **Mega Flare** breath. "Whoa whoa! Easy there will ya?" Sora tried to calm the enraged dragon as he and Cloud tried to keep their balance on its back. Not too long after that a battle ship came onto them and transformed into four legged battle machine, the Bahamut after rampaged some military machines turned and looked at the newcomer. Sora and Cloud used this opportunity to jump down from its back, watching the battle between the two gigantic creatures. The dragon king itself however didn't want to waste any time leaped at the Ushumgal Subjugator and fired the **Mega** **Flare** right to the cockpit, instantly destroyed it. "Whoa…" Sora was astonished, even though he already saw how his new summon Bahamut destroyed the Dark Thorn heartless in a single attack, he never thought that it would become THAT powerful_. 'Oh my, I wished that I had it since my first adventure'_ Sora thought as the dragon king reverted back into the summon charm after exhausted from letting out its rage.

"Sora, we have to go." Cloud said as he ran to find their l'Cie comrades followed by Sora from behind. As they met up, their eyes were widened with the next thing they saw, many creatures and living machines from Pulse appeared nowhere, making the chaos in Eden bigger than before.

Inside the building, Raines, the new Primarch watched the chaos from his eyes, he knew that soon or later this would happen and the l'Cie would open the eyes of Cocoon's people into reality. One of the Sanctum soldier then came inside. "An army of creatures is attacking the city. It's a Pulse invasion force. Your Eminence, we must evacuate!" Just before Raines could reply, the Calvary soldiers appeared and shot the soldier dead. Rygdea, one of Raines's friends when he was still at Calvary then walked beside him.

"So, Raines - is this the Cocoon you dreamed of?" Rygdea skeptically asked his former comrade as they watched the Eden that now turned into a war zone.

"My dream is but a fal'Cie's fancy now. End it." Cid replied without even looking back at him. Rygdea and the rest of Calvary soldiers knew that Cid Raines, their former leader now had been labeled as a traitor for them, but still Cid was his friend that made Rygdea hesitantly pulled the trigger of his gun. However…

"Grahhhh! Wh-what are these things?!" One of the Calvary soldiers screamed. Surprised, Rygdea stopped himself from shooting Cid and looked at the direction where the voice was. For his surprise, the other Calvary soldiers were shooting the black creatures that slowly walked toward them.

"Sir, the bullets are ineffective against them! What should we do?!" One soldier asked, not having any idea how to deal with Neo Shadow heartless.

"Evacuate this place now! Oh and bring the Primarch along!" _'Damn! More crazy things after another! But I'm glad I didn't have to shoot him.' _Rygdea mentally cursed himself but glad at the same time. "Raines, we will talk about this later. One thing that obvious is that these creatures aren't Cie'th or Pulse thingy. Come on, let's get out of here!" Rygdea said as he helped Cid with the other soldiers to escape from the building. Cid only nodded at his words, but also wondered about the black creatures that had been showed up by all of sudden before. He never seen anything like that and they weren't Cie'th, then what were they actually? Another one of Barthandelus's scheme?

The Keybearer, the SOLDIER, and the l'Cie on the other hand were trying to find a way to reach Orphan. However, many obstacles such as Adamantherons, Sanctum troops, and many Pulisan creatures blocked their way. But just before the Sanctum soldiers could shoot them, a huge pond of darkness was formed between them, creating several pureblood heartless from the Shadow, Neo Shadow, and Invincible. "What are these things?!" One of the soldiers asked while shooting at them, however the heartless kept moving like the bullets were nothing for them.

"The bullets are ineffective! Fall back!" The Sanctum commander ordered the rest of the troops, making them back off and ran away without even concerning the l'Cie. But now it was the heartless turn to face their new enemies. "Well, looks like I could say that was a big help." Sora said as he drew his Kingdom Key.

"You called that a big help? I'm not too sure about that. Their numbers are bigger than those Sanctum soldiers." Snow sarcastically commented while clenching his fists too.

"But this is better than facing the bullets or explosives. I think I'm going to get used with these heartless." Fang replied at his comment as she drew her double bladed lance.

"No heartless can stand in our way. Come on!" Sora said as he ran toward and cleared their path from the heartless by using **Rising Sun **technique, the others trailed after him, while Cloud, Light, Snow, and Fang smashed the rest of heartless that jumped on their way as they were the only ones who used melee weapons. After battling many heartless on their way, they finally made it to the Leviathan plaza, but as they reached on the front of the plaza they found many floating crystals around.

"What the-?" Sazh asked, confused with the floating crystal particles.

"What is this stuff?" Vanille asked too as one of the crystal particles floated on her hands.

Fang shrugged. "Huh. Some sort of crystal?"

"I don't like this. Is Cocoon falling apart already?" Sazh asked the others worriedly, unsure whether they were too late or not.

"Could be. Maybe Orphan's having trouble holding things together with all this fighting going on." Hope answered him as he looked around.

Suddenly a large holographic image of Barthandelus appeared before them, catching them off guard. "The power of the Keyblade. The one that could bring the chaos and destruction upon the world." Barthandelus said while looking at them. "The power that as it was said to have exceeded the Ragnarok, he shall bring the destruction upon Cocoon that could call the Maker back."

Sora glared at him. "What did you say?!"

"You l'Cie had been given your Focus. One of you will be consumed by anger and hatred and finally transformed into Ragnarok to bring the end of Cocoon." Barthandelus stated. "However, there's another one that according to the legend had the power beyond what is known by the world. The power of the Keyblade Wielder."

The l'Cie, especially Fang and Vanille were shocked with what the fal'Cie told them. They finally understood that Ragnarok wasn't the only one way to destroy Orphan; Sora could do the same thing too. The l'Cie now eyed the spiky brunette Keybearer warily, making Cloud stepped in front of him defending him.

"Sora has nothing to do with this. As I know the Keyblade wielder could choose the path between the light or the darkness and chaos." Cloud told the l'Cie in his stern voice. "As far as I know, Sora isn't the second one. If you want to get rid of him, you must get through me first." Cloud continued as he drew his Fusion Swords in case any of them wanted to harm Sora.

Barthandelus chuckled at their situation. "We shall see about that. Come l'Cie; fulfill your destiny so you can meet your loved ones again." He then vanished in a small light that flew up to Eden, waiting either the l'Cie or Sora to destroy Orphan.

"Your destiny... We'll decide our own destiny!" Hope retorted as he looked back at his l'Cie companions who still looked at Sora warily, while Fang and Lightning prepared their Bladed Lance and Blazefire Saber to defend themselves. Hope couldn't believe with what he saw, after all that they had been through, they began to distrust Sora and Cloud just because some words from the fal'Cie?

"Everyone, enough with this! Look, it's just like what Cloud told to us, Sora isn't the one who will bring the destruction upon Cocoon! No one will do that!" Hope shouted at them, making the others looked at him. Seeing the calmed down situation, Cloud stored his Fusion Swords back. "Even this kid could see the truth from this fog. So do you still not trust us?"

Hearing his question, Lightning and Fang lowered their weapons. "He's right. We don't have any time for this nonsense. Come on, let's move on." Lightning then focused back with their first objective to stop Barthandelus before he advanced further with his plans. As the others followed her, Sora looked at the silver haired boy. "Thanks Hope. You saved me again."

"That's what friends are for, Right? Come on, let's follow them." Hope replied him with a smile as he followed up the others along with Sora. The Keybearer himself felt that somehow Hope kinda reminded him with his friend Riku.

_'I wonder how the others are doing. Maybe after this is all over, I should meet them again.'_ Sora thought as he and Hope ran inside Edenhall Grand Foyer to catch up with Cloud and the other l'Cie.

* * *

**Yep I made Raines alive in this story. It's just too sad that he wanted to make things right but ended up as Barthandelus's pawn instead. Sooo should I add the other silver haired Keyblade Master for the future chapters? R&R below please to answer it. For your info, Barthandelus knew the legend of the Keyblade after Pete told him.**


	14. Chapter 14 : The Misjudged Benevolence

**Chapter 14 is here. Tomorrow will be my College days again, so maybe I won't upload the next chapter soon, sorry.**

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_Radiant Garden – Borough_

Riku walked along the streets of the residential area in Radiant Garden to find Merlin's House. Even though he hadn't learnt about Merlin and the Restoration Committee members, Master Yen Sid had told him about Merlin, somehow he felt that he needed to help Sora wherever he was. As he located the house with many strange mechanisms on its roof, he knocked the wooden door.

"Someone's outside." Yuffie said as she jumped off from the bed after read many books.

"Then open it, Yuffie." Aerith told her as she poured the tea into the cup and gave it to Merlin who was reading his sorcery book.

As the self-proclaimed greatest ninja opened the door, she found that their visitor was none other than the silver haired teen who wore the white jacket with yellow trim and blue jeans, Riku. "Wow, I mean who are you?"

Riku only smiled and chuckled a bit, finding her attitude was quite funny. "I'm Riku." He introduced himself.

'_Wow, and here I thought that Cloud and Leon were the only hot looking guys.'_ Yuffie thought as she blushed but quickly snapped away. "Wah! Sorry, I mean welcome to the Radiant Garden Restoration Committee. I'm the grand ninja Yuffie, one of the committee members." She proudly introduced herself as she let Riku in.

The others along with Leon who just back from the second floor finally met with Sora's another friend Riku for their first time. They already met Kairi back at the Traverse Town and Sora already mentioned Riku before, but they never seen him in person. Riku on the other hand felt uneasy for being surrounded by so many people; usually he had no problems when talking even with the strangers. But somehow he couldn't do the same thing again.

"Uh hi, I'm Riku." He introduced himself to the others sheepishly.

"Squall Leonheart, but you can call me Leon, Riku." The gunblade warrior introduced himself too as he introduced the others. "You've met Yuffie, that's Aerith and Merlin. Cid is out for a moment, but eventually you'll meet him too."

"I see. So Leon, do you know where Sora is?" The silver haired Keybearer asked him, not wanting to waste any time.

"Sora is in his own journey to become a true Keyblade Master. Why? Do you want to stop him from his own decision?" Leon sarcastically asked him which made Riku a bit upset, but also speechless at the same time. Sora had decided from his deepest heart to set his own journey, even though Riku only wanted to ensure his safety, he would also interrupt his effort to become the Keyblade Master.

"I-I know, I'm just…" Riku couldn't find any answer anymore, how could he say that he and Kairi just worried about him and wanted to bring him back?

Aerith however could feel his worry to his friend as she looked at Leon. "Leon, he just wants to find Sora. Why don't we tell him where he is?"

Hearing her answer, Leon facepalmed himself. "You already knew the reason Aerith. This is his own decision, we can't interfere."

"Awww Leon, you're too strict. Hey don't mind him, lemme tell you, Sora is-" However just before she could tell him, Leon smacked her head. _'Idiot, and ouch what a hard head she has.'_ He thought as he rubbed his hand.

"Owwww, what was that for?!" The ninja angrily asked as she rubbed her head but Leon didn't answer.

Riku felt nervous as he walked to the door. "Umm, it's okay. I will take my leave then." However as he walked away from them, Merlin called him. "He's in a world called Gran Pulse and Cocoon if you want to find him, Riku."

Riku's eyes widened as he quickly turned back and approached the blue robed wizard. "Tell me, where can I find this world?"

Leon could only sigh, while Aerith giggled, and Yuffie gave him a mocking smile. Ha had no idea why Merlin told him whereas Sora and Cloud wanted to do this by their own.

"Well, let's see whether Cid can let you to borrow his Shera Gummi Ship or not. But you have to promise me one thing, Riku." Merlin said as he sipped his tea, while Riku only looked at him confusedly. "You may only watch him from distance. But if the situation gets worse, you can help him."

"I will Merlin." Riku firmly answered him as he went outside.

"Where do you think you're going?" Leon called him as the silver haired teen turned his head. "You should wait until Cid comes."

Riku smiled at them as he walked back inside. He never thought that even though they had just met him once, they already offered him a hand. But then again, maybe it was Sora's irresistible friendship influence that made them wanted to help him.

Meanwhile...

* * *

_Cocoon – Edenhall_

As the Keybearer, the SOLDIER, and the l'Cie marched through the heartless, Sanctum Army, and Pulse creatures, they finally made it to the elevator that could bring them to Orphan's Cradle where Barthandelus already waited. However, as they stepped forward a gigantic green machine suddenly descended from the sky and stood before them.

"What's this?" Sora asked at the machine's sudden appearance.

Just before the others could answer, a silver haired man walked from behind of the machine that known as the Proudclad. He was one of the Sanctum high officials who devoted himself to protect Cocoon from every threat, Yaag Rosch.

"I see your power has grown, Mr. Villiers. No matter. We will lay down our lives if that is what it takes to stop you." The Proudclad pilot said as now he stood before them.

Snow already knew that he merely just did his job to protect Cocoon from the l'Cie, but they also wanted to protect Cocoon from the true mastermind behind all of this terror, Barthandelus. "Oh, we're on the same side here. We came back to stop all this!"

"Hey Light, who's that man? He kinda reminds me with someone." Sora asked, referring Young Xehanort from his hairstyle, albeit a bit different.

The pink haired soldier frowned as she looked at the Sanctum high official. "Yaag Rosch. He's the colonel from PSICOM that would use any means to get rid the threat on Cocoon, including us. But he's actually just another victim from Barthandelus trick."

"So even though we try to tell him the reason…"

"He won't listen. In fact he would gladly die if that means getting rid of us." Light said as she looked at Sora, "I know you want to tell him the truth, Sora. We all want too, but he won't listen to us."

As Rosch looked at his scanner, he was surprised that he only got six l'Cie readings whereas they were eight people. "What's this?! Don't tell me that those two aren't the l'Cie but they helped you. In that case they should face the same fate as the purges!"

Tired with his annoying speech, Sora fired his **Firaga **magic at one of the Proudclad's legs, creating the explosion that caught Rosch surprise although the Proudlcad's leg only scorched a bit. "Yeah! We aren't l'Cie, but we can use magic just like them! I just don't understand at all, we want to protect Cocoon in our ways, then why did you stop us?!"

"Nevertheless, you are l'Cie. We can trust the pawns no more than the fal'Cie who move them. Humanity's fate rests in its own hands!" The PSICOM colonel firmly replied as he teleported inside the Proudclad and activated it.

"Fine then. Come on guys; let's open this old geezer's eyes!" Sora said as he charged forward with his Keyblade, followed by the others.

**(The Corrupted – Kingdom Hearts II) **

The Proudclad transformed into the flying mode and launched several of its assault pods, targeting the l'Cie and shot them, giving them the hard time to attack. "Oh geez, this guy really wants us dead!" Fang said as she dodged several blasters from the Proudclad's remote pods. Rosch however didn't realize one thing that not all of them were l'Cie. Suddenly one of its engines exploded, catching off the PSICOM colonel. "What the hell?!" Rosch was surprised as he watched the monitor and found that Cloud had just shot him with his **Firaga** magic, forcing him to land. "Tch, I guess I'll have to fight them head on. Transform to annihilation mode!" The Proudclad then transformed again into the walker mode. While Sora protected the l'Cie with his **Reflega** magic, Lightning used this opportunity to use her magic. "This is our chance, follow my lead!" she said as she casted her **Thundaga** magic along with Snow's **Blizzaga**, Hope's **Aeroga**, Sazh's **Firaga**, Fang's **Waterga** ,and Vanille's **Ruinga**, making the machine short circuited and unable to move.

"This ends now!" Cloud exclaimed as he leaped toward the Proudclad and used his **Braver** technique to cut the battle machine in two. However just before his Fusion Sword could make the contact, the Proudclad suddenly released a wave of energy surge from its body, throwing the SOLDIER away.

"CLOUD!" The others exclaimed as they ran toward him.

"Hrrnggh... don't worry, I'm fine. This is just a little scratch." Cloud said as he stood up again and readied his Fusion Sword.

'_LIMITERS DEACTIVATED' _a robotic voice suddenly spoke from the machine, making the others focused at the annihilator machine again.

The Proudclad now was glowing with the yellow energy field across its body and attacked them faster than before by using its lasers and retaliatory strike from the assault pods to attack. Sora tried to launch another **Firaga **shot, but he suddenly realized that one of the assault pods was about to shoot him, forcing the Keybearer to defend himself instead attacking the machine. Cloud on the other hand used his left wing to fight the assault pods in the air, so he could lure most of the assault pods lasers while attacking them at the same time, however their speed were too fast that he always missed most of his attacks. Snow on the other hand was making himself as the shield for his l'Cie companions by using his **Steelguard** technique, while Hope repeatedly recovered him with his **C****urasa** magic."We have to do something! At this rate, we'll never win!" Sora exclaimed as he guarded several shots from the assault pods with his Keyblade. As soon as the attacks stopped for a while to recharge, Fang suddenly got an idea.

"Hey funnyman! Care to gimme some cover here?" Fang called Sazh, making the afro haired man sighed. "Not another nickname, yeah I guess so." Sazh replied as he gave her the covering fire from the **Blitz** technique just like he did to Snow when they faced Barthandelus.

"Ready for this?!" Fang mockingly asked as she leaped into the air and brought her spear down, creating a huge explosion from her **Highwind** skill. As the smokes from the explosion faded away, the Proudclad finally couldn't properly control the assault pods that began to fell from the jammed signal or stand up anymore as its feet now already broken. "Well, that should take care our problems." Fang proudly said as she back jumped from the falling giant machine. However Rosch wasn't finished yet, suddenly the Proudclad gathered a massive amount of energy, readying to shoot them with its final weapon '**Muon Blaster'**.

"Huh? What is it doing?" Hope asked as he looked at the charging machine.

Lightning quickly grabbed Hope's hand and dragged him away from the shooting line. "Charging its weapon. Quick, move away everyone!" Hearing Light's warning, the others quickly did the same. Just after many seconds the Proudclad fired its massive beam cannon. However, thanks for Light's warning, everyone managed to survive from the massive beam blast with minor injuries. The Proudclad finally stopped for good from using too much energy for the final shot. **(End of The Corrupted)**

As they looked at the now smoking machine, Rosch finally came out from the Proudclad, coughing and bleeding from the fight. He then looked down with the shameful face as he tried to stand up by holding the remnants of his machine.

"Rosch, it's over." Lightning said.

"Why are you doing this, Rosch? I mean, haven't you done enough?" Sazh asked, wanting an explanation from the PSICOM colonel.

Rosch looked at the l'Cie, the Keybearer, and the SOLDIER. "Enough? Under fal'Cie orders, I've orchestrated mass murder. All to answer the fears of a panicked populace. For a people utterly dependent on the fal'Cie, it was the only solution I could offer. Even if that solution was a farce." Now he felt very guilty for what he had done. He just wanted to protect the citizens of Cocoon, but ended up as one of the fal'Cie tools in the name of their justice.

The others were shocked after heard his answer. "Then, you knew the fal'Cie were using us?" Hope asked.

"I believed their rule was best for Cocoon's present and future prosperity. But it seems I misjudged their benevolence. If this is my punishment, I accept it." Rosch answered again, now feeling fatalistic for what he had done.

"So, you're just gonna let everything go to hell. Is that it?" Fang sarcastically asked him too.

"You're right. One thing remains." Rosch answered her as he put on his intercom, "This is... this is PSICOM Director Rosch. Attention all PSICOM and Guardian Corps units. Suspend l'Cie operations. I repeat, suspend l'Cie operations. All units should focus their efforts on evacuating the civilian population. I do not issue this order as an absolute. You are free to make the choice." They were surprised after heard what the colonel just issued to his soldiers; he finally had his eyes opened from these destructions and chaos and believed that they wanted the same thing, saving Cocoon from the misjudging hands of fal'Cie.

"Go. You're here to save Cocoon, aren't you? Or was that a farce as well?" Rosch said for the last time before they went inside the hall to reach Orphan's Cradle. As they walked past him, Vanille noticed that Rosch became weaker and wanted to help him. However Sora stopped her by holding her shoulder.

"Don't, he's doing what his heart commands." Sora said as he looked at the red haired Oerban. "We can't interfere."

"But... okay." Vanille nodded at him as she looked at Rosch sadly for the last time before they finally left him.

Exhausted, Rosch leaned against his Proudclad machine and waited for the PSICOM soldiers to help him, however as he looked at the flying PSICOM aircrafts that contained the evacuated citizens, two Behemoth Kings ran after him. Knowing that his end was near, he took the grenade from his pocket, wanting to bring them down along with his life. However just before the Behemoths could attack him, someone was appeared nowhere and cut the Behemoths down only in a single attack. Rosch was surprised with his savior, but he couldn't see his face because of the black cloat that covered his face. However he could see that he wielded a strange key-like weapon just like Sora had, except the appearance was more demonic with spiky, black guard resembling demon wings, a horned, demonic head just above the handle, two barbed shafts, and teeth resembling a battle axe that split into three almost claw-like protrusions, and his hands were glowing with dark aura.

"Who… are you?" Rosch asked him, however the person didn't answer as he looked at him from his hidden face before went away inside the portal of darkness, leaving the dumbfounded colonel alone.

* * *

**Yep, I added Riku and you know who with another silver hair. Just a side note: Xemnas can actually use the Keyblade too. Check the khwiki for more information. In case you haven't noticed yet, I had repaired the previous chapters to make it more sense.**

**Oh and don't forget R&R**


	15. Chapter 15 : The Cradle Will Fall

**The 15th Chapter is here, sorry for the late upload. Well here you go.**

* * *

_Orphan's Cradle – Edenhall Reliquary_

Each time passed like the flowing water. Lightning, Snow, Hope, Fang, Sazh, and Vanille knew that they were ticking time bombs where the bomb was the transformation into Cie'th. Even though Sora and Cloud still hadn't found their own objectives yet, they started to worry about them; however Sora still concerned about Barthandelus's last words before they had their short argument. As they walked inside the hall, suddenly the goddess like statues started to glow.

"Huh?! What the?!" Lightning and the others shocked as the statues became live and create the massive light that made them covered their eyes. As they reopened their eyes, they found out that the hall wasn't the hall anymore. The whole place was transformed into a sea of digital waves with many flying blocks.

"What… just happened?" Sora asked as he looked at the transformed hall with awe.

"It looks like this Orphan wanted to greet us and the Calvary, look." Cloud answered as he pointed toward the Calvary soldiers who seemed confused with the sudden change of the hall.

"So the Calvary really made it here. Come on if we speak with them, maybe they will understand our reasons." Snow suggested as he walked toward the Calvary soldiers followed by the rest. However as they approached them, suddenly a bright flash of light covered the soldiers, as the light faded out, the Calvary soldiers were no more before them. Instead the Sacrifice Cie'th were walking around like the mindless corpses, replacing the Calvary soldiers.

"Cie'th?" Light asked in disbelieve after watched how the Calvary soldiers turned into Cie'th despite they weren't l'Cie like them. "All of them? Just like that?" Vanille asked too in her disbelieve.

"A friendly reminder we're running on borrowed time." Sazh commented at the sight as he and the others prepared their weapons to charge in through the Cie'th.

The Cie'th however weren't alone, just after they appeared; the Soldier heartless appeared beside them. Finally noticed their newcomer, the Sacrifices that were about to attack Sora and the others turned back and faced the heartless instead of them.

"Not what I had in mind, but I'll take it!" Sora said as he lowered his Keyblade and rushed forward followed by Cloud and the l'Cie. "But Sora, don't you think it's quite strange that they suddenly appeared?" Hope asked as he followed Sora from behind. "It's almost like that the heartless already knew this would happen."

"Luck, perhaps?" Sora questioningly answered without even looking him and kept running. As they went through the hordes of Cie'th and the heartless, they finally made it to the floating portal that was glowing like it was greeting them.

"Hey, come on. Let's jump inside." Without any second thought, Snow jumped inside the portal, making Lightning facepalmed herself again.

"_(Sigh)_ He's just not too smart, isn't he? What if there are any traps inside?" Sora asked in defeat, making Hope chuckled at his reaction. "Well, that's Snow for you, Sora. Always charge in without any plans, his stuff of heroes as always. Come on, let's follow him."

After jumped inside the portal and caught up with the self-proclaimed hero, they found out that they were in the middle of room with many stained glasses on the wall. "Another dead end?" Sora asked as he looked everywhere to find a way out since the portal that brought them already disappeared, but he failed. However as the others tried to find the way out too, Vanille noticed something that was moving above them.

"Everyone! Look!" Vanille called as she pointed the strange creature that jumped down to greet them. It was a Cie'th with human build feature with only one hand on the right side and many protrusions on its back. It also held a katana in its hand with backward stance. It was the powerful undying after the Vercingetorix, Attacus the Soulness.

"Looks like we have a guest." Lightning said as she drew her Blazefire Saber, followed by the others with their own respective weapons.

**(Test of the L'Cie – Final Fantasy XIII)**

As they attacked the Attacus altogether, suddenly many Cie'th that resembled Attacus appeared nowhere and blocked their attacks and gave them the evened odds. Now accompanied by Wladislaus, Attacus attacked Cloud by spinning its katana toward him; Cloud however dodged it easily as he split his Fusion Sword and used his side blade as his secondary weapon. "Let's finish this." Cloud said as he charged forward and slashed the Cie'th many times, however as he was about to deliver the final blow, Attacus high jumped him and landed behind, giving him a surprise attack by stabbing its katana through his shoulder. "Grnggh! Damn, that was unexpected!" Cloud cursed under his breath as he turned back and slashed the creature's arm, tossing its katana from its hand that shattered into pieces as it fell on the floor. Now angered from having lost its weapon, Attacus released the black mist from its chest, forming a handle on it. Cloud's eyes widened as he saw the Cie'th pulled the handle that was none other than its new sword that was about the size of claymore from its chest. "This could turn even worse." Cloud muttered while fusing his swords again into one. Now fighting with one sword again, Cloud leaped and slammed the fusion on the ground, creating a wave of energy from his **Blade Beam** tech that knocked the Cie'th off from the floor and fell to the bottomless pit.

Sora on the other hand was facing the Wladislaus, lucky for him because they weren't stronger than Attacus that gave him the upper hand. After many slashes, they finally got their weapons locked each other. _"Oh man, I really miss my heartless slayer days. These guys are even stronger than neoshadows or samurai nobodies"_ Sora thought while pushing his Keyblade against Wladislaus's katana. Being pushed backward, the Cie'th then suddenly emitted the black smokes, making Sora's legs became heavier to move. "Hnggh. I better finish this one fast." The Keybearer said as he back jumped and leaped forward as strong as he could due of the undying's magic on his legs that made him slower, he then smashed his Keyblade with all of his might, creating three magical spheres from his _Explosion_ tech that knocked the Cie'th toward the bottomless pit. As he finally defeated the undying, Sora could feel that his legs already turned normal again.

Lightning on the other hand was shooting the other Wladislaus continuously, while Hope casted many elemental spells such as **Fira, Blizzara, and Thundara**, giving the Cie'th no room to move. However as Light transformed her gunblade into sword mode and charged forward, the Wladislaus spun with its sword, catching Light off guard and accidentally threw her gunblade off. "Light!" without any second, Hope threw his Airwing toward the Cie'th, hoping the boomerang would distract it even for a while. Seeing the distraction that Hope made, Lightning quickly grabbed her gunblade back and slashed the undying many times before she delivered a roundhouse kick on its chest and sent it toward the bottomless pit too just like what Sora did with the other Wladislaus. "This is not over yet. Come on, Hope." The pink haired soldier said as she ran toward the others, while Hope followed her from behind.

Snow and Fang were quite troubled because they had to fight two Wladislaus, however Snow was the one who didn't have the upper hand because he didn't have any ranged melee weapons. "Hey hero, need some help?" Fang offered while still blocking the katana with her lance. "Nah, I can handle myself, don't want to trouble you anyway." Snow replied as he dodged several attacks from the other Wladislaus that almost cut his arm off. "Really? For me, looks like you could use some help. Hang in there, hero." Fang immediately back jumped from the undying and jumped in the air, throwing her lance and creating a huge explosion from her **Highwind** tech that dissolved the undying into nothing. After done with another undying, Snow was about to get a cut on his right hand, however just before the trench coat hero could stop the blade, Fang arrived in time and smash the katana off from the undying's hand. "Time for your show, hero." Fang teased him as Snow used his** Sovereign Fist** and punched Wladislaus right on its chest, knocking it off from the floor just like the others. "Well, I guess sometimes heroes need the help too. Thanks Fang."

Sazh and Vanille didn't have too many problems dealing with the last Wladislaus, thanks for Vanille's rod that immobilized the Cie'th, while Sazh kept shooting the undying into nothing. "Haha, not bad for an old man like me, eh?" Sazh complimented himself, making Vanille giggled as she folded her Binding Rod back. "I guess so. You're one of tough daddies out there, Sazh." **(End of ****Test of the L'Cie**)

Finally defeated all undyings, suddenly the ground trembled and the glasses were cracked, revealing a white flash of light that made the others covered their eyes again. When their vision returned, they realized that they were in the middle of the white corridor hall with many lights on the wall and floating sofas on both sides. Lightning and the others knew that their nemesis Barthandelus was just behind the fal'Cie door gate that led into the large chamber.

"Ready? This time there's no turning back" Lightning quietly asked, making everyone nodded as their respone.

"More than ready." Sora replied at her question as he looked down at the throne below.

"This is it." Snow said as the room started to shake.

"Moment of truth, Hero." Lightning said to Snow before they finally jumped down altogether

* * *

_Somewhere inside the Gummi Ship Shera..._

"Ya know kid; I usually don't do any request like this because Imma very busy man." The man who was none other than Cid Highwind told Riku.

"Look Cid, I'm really sorry about that. But I only have to ensure that he's okay." Riku replied the blond haired pilot.

Cid however only waved his hand "Nah don't worry, I have a lot time and at least I don't have to hear that old loon's speeches or complaints again. Besides, it's been a long time since I flew this baby again."

Riku chuckled a bit at his reply, since they boarded the Shera Cid only mumbled about how he always had the argument with Merlin about which one was stronger between magic and technology, while Cid believed that technologies like computers, and machines were superior, Merlin protested that, saying that magic is also one of technologies and sciences while machines, and computers had their limits compared with magic. As Cid shared his own story with Riku, the blue light near the cockpit suddenly blinked many times.

"Ah, looks like we already near the destination." Cid said and typed something on the keyboard, making a beam of light appeared behind Riku. "Now hell go kid, show em who's da boss."

"Thanks Cid, I owe you one." the silver haired teen thanked him as he stepped inside the teleportation beam. "Don't sweat it kid; just remember what that old hag told ya." Cid replied as he lit on his cigar.

* * *

_Castle That Never Was – Where Nothing Gathers_

Master Xehanort sat on the highest throne without the other members, waiting about any news related with Sora. He still hadn't given up yet in making Sora as his thirteen vessel of darkness as he still one member short in his new Organization XIII. Suddenly a black portal appeared on one of the thrones and revealed the Young Xehanort.

"Master Xehanort." Xehanort greeted his older counterpart as the superior looked at him.

"I believe you want to know why did I ask you to come back and replace you with Ansem, right?" Xehanort nodded at his question, making the dark Keyblade Master grinned.

"Well then, I just discovered something that letting Sora falls inside his own darkness won't work anymore, so I have a new plan for him." Master Xehanort explained, making his younger self looked at him confusedly.

"And what's that? Does it have something to do with me?"

"Well yes, you do realize that you inherit someone inside your body that allowed you to use the Keyblade so far, right? What I want to say is that he should be infused with the strong power of darkness. Sora's heart is full of light, so it needs to be weaken with the power from the pure darkness being." Hearing his answer, Xehanort's eyes widened as he finally realized what he meant.

"Oh, you mean _him_? But how do I let him to momentary take over my body?" Xehanort asked again.

"He'll tell you from your heart, now you may go again. I'm expecting a good result from this." The dark Keyblade Master commanded as Xehanort nodded and disappeared inside the portal of darkness. However at the same time, Ansem appeared from another portal on the other throne.

"Master Xehanort, I think I have found our candidates for your thirteenth vessel." Ansem said with a smirk, making him looked at him curiously.

"This is interesting, so who are these people?"

"Cloud and Sephiroth. Sephiroth is a pure being of darkness, while Cloud is well… let's just say that he's almost like Sora, too scared to face his own darkness." Ansem answered him calmly, making the superior grinned again.

"Very interesting indeed, another pure being of darkness… and another strong hearted person with the same weakness as that boy. Hmhmhm what a big universe indeed, tell me more about them." Master Xehanort said as Ansem nodded and explained what happened since they met with him at Paddraean Archaeopolis.

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**I believe you guys already know who is this mysterious person that Xehanort mentioned, right? Next is the final battle in FFXIII, but trust me, this is still not over yet.**

**R&R As usual please ^^**


	16. Chapter 16 : Orphan

**Chapter 16 is here where we would have the first part of the final battle, enjoy ^^**

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_Orphan's Cradle – The Narthex Throne_

The l'Cie, the Keybearer, and the SOLDIER finally made their way inside, wanting to settle things with Barthandelus for once and for all. However, just before they could proceed any further, two glowing spots appeared. Two large crystals then were shot from the glowing spots, making all of them quickly turned their glances toward the crystals.

"Life's spark shines on," Barthandelus's voice echoed through the room "Once freed from its fleshy shroud."

As they looked at the crystals, everyone, especially Lightning, Snow, and Sazh were shocked. The crystals were none other than crystallized Serah Farron, Lightning's younger sister and Snow's fiancée. Next to her was a crystallized boy who had an afro hair just like Sazh, he was Dajh Katzroy, Sazh's only son.

"Dajh!" Sazh shouted, trying to call his son.

"Serah!" Lightning and Snow shouted as well at the sight.

Barthandelus's owl then suddenly came; making the room shone brightly that made them covered their eyes. As the light faded out, Barthandelus appeared before them, sitting on his floating throne.

"Dreams, meanwhile, shatter in a flash," Barthandelus said as he tapped the floor with his staff, making the crystals shattered into pieces.

"Dajh!" Sazh painfully yelled as he saw his crystallized son broke into pieces.

"No!" Snow couldn't take it any longer, he charged at Barthandelus with anger and hate in his eyes, but only to be knocked back by his invisible barrier. Sora and Lightning quickly ran over to him to help him sat for a moment.

"Calm yourself, Snow," Sora said quietly as he held his shoulder "He wants to fill your heart with anger and sadness."

"Sora's right, think again, Snow" Light added "Where's the real Serah?" Snow then reached his pocked again, taking Serah's crystal tear and stared at it for a moment. Sazh then came over and showed his chocobo chick.

"Hey, listen," Sazh said as Choco cripped many times at Snow "It isn't real. It's just fal'Cie smoke and mirrors." Sazh then put Choco back inside his afro and drew his twin pistols.

"Yeah," Hope agreed with him "They don't work wonders. They play tricks."

As they finally got Snow to stand up, they took up their defensive stances, readying themselves for more fight. However Barthandelus only laughed.

"At last, my errand l'Cie and, the chosen one by the Keyblade. Men fight men, men battle beasts. Cocoon wars with Pulse," Barthandelus said as he stood from his throne "There can be no end to such conflict. But Cocoon's end is imminent and inevitable. Will you not at least slay Orphan, and make it quick? As an act of mercy?"

"Mercy?" Light growled at his statement as she stepped forward "You mean 'murder.' And Cocoon won't die. We're not here for that. We came for you."

"And why do you have to involve Sora?" Cloud asked, now it was his turn to step forward too and faced the fal'Cie.

Again, Barthandelus laughed at his question "The power of the Keyblade, one shall bring the peace and stability over the universe, while the other one shall bring the destruction and ruin."

Cloud readied his Fusion Sword after heard his answer "And I believe that Sora isn't the second one, Barthandelus! You don't know anything about him!" now Sora also glared at him, there's no way he would let himself ended up as the Keybearer of darkness just like Xehanort. The Keyblade had chosen him purely as his wielder, and his heart was full of light. Even though he already had many doubts before, he already let it go. Sora's only destiny was to free the people that needed his help and end Xehanort's darkness for once and for all.

"You already played minds with them. Even though I don't know whether you have a heart or not, I believe that even you had one, it will be the darkest one, Barthandelus!" Sora said, holding his Kingdom Key in his hands.

"Fal'Cie never had the weak heart my boy," Barthandelus replied, pointing his staff toward Sora "After all; shouldn't you all thank me for making your journey here easier with _my _heartless?"

Everyone's eyes widened, especially Sora "So you're the one who summoned all those heartless!" Sora shouted at his statement "But how?!"

Barthandelus smirked at his question "That witch gave me this power," Barthandelus then let out the black and green aura from his body "I wanted to measure your strength with the opponents that you're familiar with. And as I expected from a Keybearer, your power is beyond that this world ever known."

"Witch? What witch? Do you think that Ragnarok itself isn't enough?!" Fang angrily asked the fal'Cie as she stepped forward.

"Ragnarok already failed to destroy Cocoon before, taking the same risk isn't an option, but…" Barthandelus answered as he began to levitate into the air and pointed his staff toward them "That doesn't matter anymore. Destroy Cocoon and bring back the Maker, l'Cie!" A bright light then appeared, covering Barthandelus's body, while at the same time his owl flew into the light. As the light finally faded out, Barthandelus finally showed his fal'Cie form before them with his malicious grin.

**(Fighting Fate – Final Fantasy XIII)**

Barthandelus quickly shot them with the lasers from his faceplates only to be reflected back with Sora's **Reflega**. Cloud quickly moved away from the shooting line and jumped with his above human agility toward one of the faceplates and slashed it, leaving a big crumble on the faceplate and destroyed it in an explosion. At the same time, Lightning cast **Thundaga**, along with Hope to short circuit the laser shooting face. However, Barthandelus then suddenly stood up, catching them surprised. A beam of light then suddenly came from above, creating a huge explosion that knocked the entire party back from Barthandelus's **Ultima**. "_(Cough)_ got any other ideas?" Sora asked the others, until finally Hope realized something.

"I know, let me try this." With his magic, everyone's weapons now were glowing in red as the result from Hope's **Enfire **"If every strike could cause an explosion, then maybe we can beat him."

Everyone nodded at Hope's ideas, then jumped on many different locations to attack the fal'Cie from multiple directions. With his superhuman agility, Cloud wall jumped the room, readying his sword to attack the left pauldron. Channeling his sword with blue fiery aura, the SOLDIER used **Braver** to cut down the shoulder armor into pieces, one thing that Cloud didn't expect as he landed was the explosions after his attack due of Hope's **Enfire** that gave his weapon fire elemental attack. _'That could be more useful than using the Materia.'_ Cloud thought while evading the left arm swings.

Using his Keyblade, Sora made his way to Barthandelus's back. The fal'Cie saw what was coming to him and opened his metallic face again, revealing many large cannons inside. "WHOA! Ugh, I hate lasers!" Shocked with the hidden weapon, Sora cast **Aeroga**, creating a wind shield that covered his whole body. Finally charged up all of his cannons, Barthandelus fired his lasers toward the spiky Keybearer, although most of the lasers were deflected, some of them still passed through the wind shield, injuring Sora but thankfully not too much. "I'm almost there" with the remaining strength, Sora jumped on the fal'Cie's back and cast **Curaga **to recover himself from the lasers wounds.

Lightning, Snow, and Sazh tried as best as they could to attack and evade at the same time. Using **Ruinga**, Light managed to destroy another faceplate in a huge explosion. "Snow, this is your chance!" Light shouted at the trench coat hero, he nodded and immediately ran and gained all of his might to unleash his **Sovereign Fist**. "This is for making Serah as l'Cie, Dysley!" with a huge explosion, another pauldron cracked, and crumbled into pieces. "And wish on these fireworks, Primarch!" Sazh shouted as he shot the other faceplate many times, thanks for Hope's **Enfire**, the bullets exploded in every shot, damaging the other faceplate and destroyed it like the others. Angered from having lost most of his faceplates and shoulder armors, Barthandelus slammed his hands many times; creating the tremors that made them lost their balances and fell on the floor. Sora however saw what happened and he was still on the fal'Cie's back. Without wasting any time, Sora cast **Graviga**, creating a giant ball of darkness that crushed on Barthandelus's head, stunning him for momentary "This won't last too long, come on!"

Hope, Vanille, and Fang who stood up first saw what happened and nodded at each other before they attacked the middle face. "Let's wrap this up!" many **Ruinga **magic balls then formed around Hope and flew upward, Vanille on the other hand was casting many debuff magic to lower Barthandelus's defense. As the magic balls rained down toward the stunned fal'Cie, Fang quickly continued the attacks by using her **Highwind** as the finisher. At the same time, Sora jumped off from Barthandelus's back just before Fang threw her lance, creating an explosion that made the fal'Cie screamed in pain. **(End of Fighting Fate)**

Barthandelus started to sink inside the metallic liquid pool after the last attack. "Release . . ." however, he was somewhat satisfied after his defeat which somehow made Sora and Cloud felt uneasy as they looked at the drowning fal'Cie "At last, release!"

Everyone relieved and put their weapons back, "It's done" Light commented, feeling relieved after the exhausting battle.

"All right!" Snow happily yelled and threw his fist in the air.

"Fang." Vanille cheerfully called her friend as they tapped their forearms, celebrating their victory over the rouge fal'Cie.

"Sora," Hope called the spiky haired Keybearer "That was great, maybe if it wasn't you, we couldn't defeat him, you too, Cloud." The blond haired SOLDIER only nodded with a small smile "Yeah…"

"That wasn't a big deal," Sora replied, putting his hands behind his head and grinned as usual "Now I only have to-"

Just before Sora could finish his sentence, Barthandelus's robotic owl reappeared nowhere, catching everyone off guard. "It's that bird again." Hope commented, while the owl flew into the pool. The metallic liquid pool suddenly began to glow and shook the whole room; however the one thing that shocked them was something that slowly emerged inside the pool.

"A haven, yea," An omnius voice came from the being that slowly rose from the pool "Yet it must fall ere we be saved. Too frail a shell, and humans should not thrive." The being slammed its left arm at the 'thrive' part, causing everyone lost their balance and Vanille fell on her butt "Too stout a shell, and they would not die. Slaughter and salvation. Two irreconcilable Focuses we bore. Yet bound were we in a cocoon prison impervious to our power. And so we thank you, for granting us our longed-for birth."

Everyone finally could see the thing in its complete form; it had three faces with one easily recognizable face on the right side, Barthandelus's face. The left face was somewhat a woman like face with a sinister smile, while the middle face was a sleeping baby like face. Its whole body however wasn't fully exposed as half of its lower body was inside the pool. It had one black arm, similar with Barthandelus's claw, while the other arm was white and had more angelic form.

"I knew it, this is not over yet." Cloud said, remembering Barthandelus's last words before he sank inside the pool "Get your weapons ready!"

Sora looked at the thing in disbelieve while summoning his Keyblade again "You gotta be kidding me."

"Wha-what is that? Dysley?" Snow asked in confusion.

"No, not anymore." Sazh answered, looking at the being in his disbelieve too.

"We are the Abandoned One, born but now to die. Our name is Orphan," The thing that finally revealed itself as the fal'Cie Orphan answered them and began to spread its hands, making the five wings on its right side stretched out "By our hand, the world shall know redemption."

Unknown by them, including Orphan itself, another mysterious figure in black and red organic-looking bodysuit was watching them from distance. Even though his face was hidden behind his silver and black helmet, it was clear that he smirked at the situation which somehow intrigued him.

"Finally a decent show for my taste, let's see how this will continue on" The mysterious person then began to sit; watching them unnoticed "This will be interesting, AHAHAHAHAHA."

* * *

**Could you guess who is this mysterious newcomer? (WARNING SPOILER for Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep if you answer his name) And reviews are always welcomed below here :) Next we will have our favorite silver haired teen (guess who), so wait for next chapter.**

**And I want to say thank you for over 70 reviews, readers, thank you very much XD**


	17. Chapter 17 : Ragnarok and Anti-Form

**Wow! 80 Reviews in total? That's totally new for me, anyway here's the 17th chapter. I hope you enjoy it.**

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_Orphan's Cradle – The Narthex Throne_

**(Born Anew – Final Fantasy XIII)**

The fully exposed Orphan now stood before the heroes. Just before Cloud could cast **Firaga**, Orphan suddenly rose from its pool, revealing it's sword like form before them. Everyone was surprised as the fal'Cie turned and used its lower sword like body to smash them, creating a huge wave of energy on the floor. The l'Cie, SOLDIER, and the Keybearer didn't have any time to evade or react and caught in the blast, they could felt that somehow their bodies became heavier and felt weak like their energy had been depleted. "Careful now!" Hope then cast many **Curaja** magic to heal everyone. After fully recovered from the last attack, Sora then leaped toward Orphan and slashed it many times using **Ars Arcanum**, followed by Cloud's **Omnislash**, and Lightning's **Army of One**. "Well, can't let sis, my future brother, and the lil' hero have all the fun." Along with Vanille and Fang, Snow shot many **Ruin** magic to the fal'Cie. After hordes of slashes and magic, a white light appeared beside Orphan and healed it using its own **Cure **magic. "What!? It could heal itself !? Just great." Sora grunted at the sight, while Fang readied her battle stance again "Then let's make this quick before it heals again, lil' spiky."

Again everyone ran toward Orphan to attack it once again, the fal'Cie tried to ram Sora with its gigantic Barthandelus's claw which was easily dodge rolled by the spiky Keybearer. This time Cloud used **Braver** in conjunction with Snow's **Sovereign** **Fist** and Fang's **Highwind** "TOGETHER NOW!" Snow shouted as the three lauched their attack together, creating a massive blast that three times larger than usual that cracked most of the fal'Cie's body. "Eat this!" Sora on the other side fired three **Firagas** that homed to the right face, right claw, and the left hand. However something unexpected happened, Orphan rose again from its pool and turned again to use its **Merciless Judgement**. "Damnit! That move again!" Just before Light could do anything, Cloud suddenly grabbed her hand and ran to Sora where the others already gathered beside him. "I think everyone's here, Sora." Cloud said; making Sora nodded "Okay then, DEFEND!" As hexagonal patterned barrier surrounded them, the lower blade body of Orphan made contact, causing huge explosion just like before. However this time, no one was harmed, thanks for Sora's **Reflega** magic.

"We must end this in one shot." Cloud readied his Fusion Sword again, followed by the others. "Fools, do you think you can escape from your fate?" Orphan asked in its omnious voice, suddenly from Barthandelus's right hand, a glowing sphere, similar with the white one formed, however this sphere was glowing in black and red color. "Again? Now what can this one do?" Hope asked, the black sphere then fired a black energy blast, making an explosion that almost hit the silver haired teen "Okay, forget I asked."

The eight then charged toward the fal'Cie again, however this time Sora remained at his place, gathering the energy on the tip of his Keyblade. Lightning switched her gunblade into gun mode and fired at the left face, along with Sazh, Cloud and Snow on the other hand were fighting the right hand. Fang, Vanille, and Hope tried to lure the shots from the dark sphere, so they could protect Sora. As the light on the Keyblade's tip became larger, Sora raised his Kingdom Key and pointed at Orphan, Cloud who saw that immediately warned the others "Everyone, we need to get out, NOW!" Light, Sazh, Snow, Hope, Fang, and Vanille then moved away from Orphan. A large beam of light then was shot from the tip of the Kingdom Key toward Orphan's middle head, but unfortunately the shot was deflected with some barrier. **(End of Born Anew)**

"What the?! A barrier?" Sora asked in disbelieve as the others gathered beside him again. Orphan however only laughed and rose from its pool, revealing its full body again before them. A wave of energy was unleashed from Orphan and covered the whole area, making them screamed in pain and fell unconscious. Unknown by any of them, someone was still watching them.

"Yes… the pain… the scream… this show becomes even better than I expected." The mysterious figure who was none other than Vanitas delightfully commented at the sight, watching how Orphan tortured them.

"Have you ever paused to consider our reason for making l'Cie of men?" Orphan asked them while descending back into the pool "We fal'Cie are crafted for a single purpose, and given finite power to that end. With men it is not so," The others tried to stand again as it continued "Men dream, aspire, and through indomitable force of will achieve the impossible. Your power is beyond measure. We take l'Cie that we might wield such strength. Through you, we obtained freedom from our bondage. And now, your Focus alone remains."

"Defy it," Orphan spoke again as its left index finger started to glow "And all will be for naught. Cocoon's sacrifice, and that of Gran Pulse as well." A black and red wave aura then surrounded Vanille by all of sudden, torturing the red haired Oerban and made her cried in pain. "Yet, if we but summon the Maker, we will be given the chance to begin again. All our sins absolved, and the world born – anew!"

"AHHHHHHH" Vanille cried in pain, struggled to break free as Orphan lifted her into the air but failed. "Submit l'Cie! Become Ragnarok! Lead us into the light!" Orphan shouted.

Fang couldn't stand anymore watching her childhood friend tortured like that, with all of her courage; she stood up before the fal'Cie.

"Orphan! I'll do it. I'll destroy you." Fang said with a determination but somewhat hesitant, knowing that if she destroyed the fal'Cie, that would mean the end of Cocoon and millions of lives inside it.

Hearing her answer, Orphan smiled and then released Vanille "Ragnarok. The will to guide the world unto oblivion. Can you bear the sin of our salvation?"

"You heard me," Fang replied with rage burning in her emerald eyes "I said I'll do it!"

"You can't! Please, you can't forget our promise!" Vanille, who finally regained her conscious pleaded, bringing her hands to her chest. "We promised to save Cocoon! We promised!"

However, instead listening her friend, Fang held her lance toward Vanille in a threatening way "I made a promise, too," she hissed through gritted teeth, and her voice cracked as she spoke. "To protect my family." She lowered her lance, walking toward the girl and ignoring her tears.

"Sometimes...You've gotta choose!" Fang yelled, raising her lance as she prepared to strike Vanille down. However instead hitting Vanille, a loud _CLANG _sound was heard, surprised, Fang then turned around to see what stopped her lance. It was the Keyblade of Sora! He stopped her right before she could hit Vanille!

"D-don't do that Fang! Don't you see that she already suffered enough?!" Sora angrily asked, still struggling against her lance, Fang growled as she pushed the Keybearer harder with her lance.

"You don't understand anything!" Fang then tossed the Keyblade away and kicked Sora right in his chest, sending him away from the black haired Oerban "This is my Focus, and no one's gonna stop me!"

Fang then jumped in the air, her lance glowing in a bright gold light, and she stabbed it into the floor, unleashing a force of magic along with Orphan's magic from its serpent like tail. Vanille covered her eyes as a huge wave of energy covered the whole room, making Vanille had to cover her eyes, Vanitas who watched them from afar was also shocked with the magic power "W-what a power… damn, good thing that I'm okay."

When the light finally faded out, Fang, Vanille, Cloud, and Sora who were still unconscious were the only ones in the room. Cloud who finally woke up first could see that Sora was still unconscious, Fang and Vanille who looked something behind the SOLDIER with sadness and devastation. As the turned back, Cloud's eyes widened, he found that Lightning, Snow, Hope, and Sazh weren't with them anymore; instead four Cie'th were in their places.

"What?! No… this can't be…" Cloud said in disbelieve while still trying to stand using his Fusion Sword as support. "Everything I do- Why? Is this what you meant to happen?" Fang loudly asked the air as she looked around and saw everyone's weapons next to the Cie'th "All of 'em…"

Slowly the Cie'th started to stand up and walked toward her, Fang could only watch as they approached and began to attack her with their gigantic arms. However, she willingly took the blows, wincing each time one of the arms came in contact with her skin. Her eyes met with Vanille's and Cloud's when she looked up, giving them a weak, but reassuring smile. "Guess I deserve it, after what I did!" she murmured, before the Cie'th knocked her to the floor. She coughed, blood dripping from her mouth as she weakly asked, "Are they my sin to bear for choosing salvation?" The Cie'th then collapsed on top of her, crushing her beneath them.

"Please . . . stop" Vanille begged the fal'Cie "Stop it!" but Orphan continued to laugh at the misery of the l'Cie "Give them back!" Fang's l'Cie brand began to shine brightly and the Cie'th piled on top of her were thrown about the room from the blast. The brand shone brighter as Fang got to her feet and then she transformed in a glowing beast, Ragnarok.

"Damn it, why does everything have to end up like this!?' Cloud muttered under his breath while still holding his Fusion Sword to support himself.

"Salvation is born of sacrifice – miracles of misery. From shattered shards, a new crystal legend will arise." Orphan said calmly as the now turned as Ragnarok Fang lunged at it and was sent across the room by its barrier. The beast then jumped onto the barrier and tried to break it with all of her power, however as the barrier finally shattered and vanished, Fang already lost all of her energy, reverting back from the Ragnarok form.

At the same time, Sora who finally woke up saw what happened with everyone, Cloud was badly hurt that he had to use his sword as support, Vanille was crying after everything that they had been through, and Fang was lying on the ground, exhausted after unleashed the power of Ragnarok. However Sora couldn't find Light, Hope, Snow, and Sazh, instead he found four lifeless Cie'th bodies that were lying on the ground.

"No… everyone… " Sora knew that the four Cie'th that were lying on the floor were none other than Light, Sazh, Snow, and Hope as he already been told about what happened if the l'Cie failed to fulfill the given Focus. With all of his remained strength, he stood up and glared Orphan, the one who had caused all of this with full of rage.

"You… Orphan… you dare to do this to my friends…" Anger, hatred, sadness, and despair began to fill his heart as his body emitted the black and dark blue aura. Cloud who saw his sudden change clearly remembered that Sora ever done the same thing back in Hollow Bastion when the heartless invasion, he then ran as fast as he could, trying to wake up Fang and warned Vanille "Vanille! Get away from Sora, now!"

"Huh?" Vanille then looked at the spiky Keybearer, she couldn't believe with what she saw, Sora's eyes that were blue now turned into yellow with no pupils and his body was covered with the black aura that slowly turned his skin and clothes into black. His hands also grew claws and his expression was somewhat like a beast that wanted to kill its prey. "Wh-what? No… not him too!" Vanille cried, feared if Sora would turn into something terrible, just like how Fang turned into Ragnaok to destroy Orphan, she then ran toward Cloud and Fang who finally woke up and saw what happened too with the Keybearer.

"Wh-what? What happened with him?" Fang weakly asked as Cloud and Vanille helped her to stand again. A large growl was heard from Sora who now finally turned into Anti-Form, a form that could make him turned as dark powered killing machine.

"Yes! Finally the true power of the Keyblade wielder!" Orphan exclaimed, Anti-Sora then lunged at the fal'Cie, growling and attacking it rentlessy with the power of darkness "Despair and save us all! The Day of Ruin and Destruction is come!"

Cloud, Fang, and Vanille could only watched Sora helplessly, the energetic boy that always thought positive, helped them along their journey, and made them laugh now turned into a mindless beast. "No… is this the power that Barthandelus told us?" Fang asked, looking the Anti-Form who then unleashed a powerful dark energy blast that swept the entire room, knocking the three away from him and fell unconscious.

"Just as I expected from the power of the chosen one! Let anger and rage be your strength!" Orphan exclaimed as its lower body began to crumble from the last blow "Steep yourself in hatred. Let it infuse your soul with the strength it craves."

Vanitas snickered after he saw Sora's transformation after the darkness took over his body "So that's why Master Xehanort wanted to make him as our 13th candidate" He then looked back at Cloud who was still unconscious from the blast along with Fang and Vanille "And they said that he would become a perfect substitute aside that three winged silver haired ladies' man." Vanitas then laughed maniacally as he watched the whole sight or show as he referred.

* * *

_Cocoon – Eden_

"How is the evacuation, soldier?" Colonel Rosch asked one of Sanctum soldier. Thanks for the manadrive cure which the other soldier used when they found him that he had more reason to live. Now already seen the truth behind the fal'Cie's scheme to murder millions of lives in Cocoon, the last thing that he could do was to ensure the safety of the people who were being evacuated using Sanctum's military air transportation Havoc Skytank.

"Thirteen transports already left Cocoon without any problems, sir. Only seven transports remain and right now there are about 25 percent of the citizens who haven't been evacuated yet." The Sanctum soldier replied as he saluted the colonel.

"Good, make sure the rest could leave this place safely." Rosch said, making the soldier saluted at him and left, he then walked away and looked at Cradle, the core of Eden where Sora and his gang were "This is the last thing that I could do; the rest is up to you."

Not too far from his position, he saw two soldiers that were having an argument with a teenager. The teen wore the black sleeveless shirt beneath his white and yellow vest and blue jeans with a pair of sneakers. However the most distinguished thing about him was his short silver haired hair.

"You have to let me through!" The teen who was none other than Riku demanded the soldier to open the barricade "I have to find my friend!"

"We already told you for the million times kid! This area is restricted; no unauthorized person may enter beyond this point!" One soldier said, almost yelled at him.

"What's going on here?" The PSICOM colonel asked the two soldiers as he approached them.

"Sir, this little brat wants to pass through instead joining with the refugees, sir." The other soldier answered, making Riku glared at him at the 'little brat' part.

"Is that so?" Rosch then turned his head to face Riku "Then how does he look like?"

"A bit shorter than me, spiky hair, wears crown shaped necklace, black clothes with baggy pants and oversized shoes." Hearing his description, something rang inside Rosch's head. That description clearly matched with the spiky haired boy who fought alongside the l'Cie fugitives that now were inside the Cradle.

"Tell me, does he carry a weapon that shaped like a giant key?" Riku's eyes widened at his question, he didn't expect that this man ever met with Sora "Y-yeah, but how do you…"

The colonel nodded "He's inside the Cradle with his friends. You two, let him through." The two Sanctum soldiers were shocked with what the colonel just said.

"But sir, that area is restricted for civilians!" One soldier protested, making Rosch glared at him.

"I said let him through! That's an order, soldier!" Rosch said once again in his stern voice, making the two soldiers finally let the silver haired teen through. However just before Riku went further, he looked at the PSICOM colonel for last time "Thanks for your help sir."

Without saying anything Rosch only nodded as he watched Riku ran to the elevator that would bring him to the Cradle "What are you two doing here? Go and ensure that the Pulse creatures won't harm the refugees inside the remaining transports!" Shocked with his sudden command, the two Sanctum soldier immediately ran to where the remained Havoc Skytanks were.

* * *

**Oh my Sora turned into a beast of darkness, I'm very evil. 10 points for anyone who manages to figure out the 7 light vs 13 darkness cameo in this chapter. Oh and that ladies' man reference? Well you know if you know someone named Sam Witwicky.**

**Do you think we could make it to 100 reviews? If yes, then I will be insanely happy ^^**


	18. Chapter 18 : Smoke, Mirrors, Anti-Form

**This chapter is shorter than the previous ones, but I hope you will enjoy it.**

* * *

_Orphan's Cradle – The Tesseracts_

_'What? What is this place?' _Riku was confused and amazed at the same time at the digital dimension like that the Cradle had _'Somehow, this area kinda reminds me with that data world, back when we took the Mark of Mastery exam.' _He then ran along the pathway that led to a statue with a white portal gate below it. However in the middle road, many Sacrifices ambushed the silver haired teen "Move! I don't have time for this!" in a flash of light, Riku summoned his Keyblade, Way to the Dawn and slashed all of the Cie'th to make his way. As he finally arrived before the portal, the statue raised its hands and staff, making the portal shone before the silver haired teen. The flash of light from the portal made Riku had to cover his eyes, unknown by him; the light dematerialized his whole body in particles to be brought inside the Narthex.

As soon Riku opened his eyes, he realized that he wasn't inside the Tesseracts anymore, he then ran along inside the Narthex to find his friend Sora, however Riku suddenly smelled something that familiar for him. "This scent… the darkness!" Riku was shocked and ran faster to find the source of the darkness _'And this one is very strong, who it could be?'_ Just before Riku could proceed any further, he found something that was unexpected, four bodies that were lying on the floor that were none other than Lightning, Snow, Hope and Sazh. Without any second thought, the silver haired Keyblade Master approached Lightning first for being the nearest. "Hey, are you okay?" Riku asked while shaking her unconscious body, but no response. He then put her down gently and raised his Keyblade with his hands and shouted "HEAL!"

A green aura along with yellow bell flowers covered the four, healing their wounds like they never took any damage before. After a couple of minutes, Snow was about to wake up first. "Hey, are you okay?" Riku asked the trench coated man as he tried to open his eyes; however as he helped Snow to stand, Lightning, Hope, and Sazh began to wake up too, making Riku felt a bit relieved. Finally woke up, the four l'Cie looked at Riku confusedly until Lightning asked him first "Who are you?"

At the same time, Vanitas could also sense the presence of the newcomer that made him gritted his teeth. "Tch, there's a party crasher. Very well then…" Vanitas then snapped his finger, making a portal of darkness appeared behind him "Time to make an epic climax of this show!" He then walked inside the portal and disappeared.

"The name's Riku, but first…" Riku suddenly summoned his Way to the Dawn, making Lightning and the others took their defensive stance "I think we have the uninvited guests, look." As they turned around, Lightning, Snow, Hope, and Sazh saw many Floods and Scrappers Unversed appeared from a dark pool behind them. "What are these things?" Lightning asked as she drew her gunblade. "Heartless? But they don't have any yellow eyes." Hope confusedly guessed at their new enemy, making Riku's eyes widened at the heartless part. "Heartless? You know them?" the silver haired Keyblade Master asked the silver haired teen, making Hope nodded at his question "Yeah, Sora told us about them."

Riku then thought for a second, he clearly remembered what Merlin told about help Sora indirectly so Riku wouldn't interrupt his training. "Well then." He then stepped forward, facing the Unversed alone with Keyblade in his hand "I'll deal with them; you four go and help Sora." Lightning, Hope, Snow, and Sazh were shocked with what he just said, the Unversed might be small, but judging from the odds, Riku was clearly outnumbered by them. "Hey hey hey kid, are you sure? Not that I doubt about your skill, but you are clearly outnumbered." Sazh said, uncertain with the number of the Unversed that Riku would fight, but Snow patted his shoulder "Let him Sazh. Besides, don't we forget about something?"

Then it hit their heads, they almost forgot that they had to face Orphan and save Cocoon from its great destruction. "Crap! Vanille!" Lightning facepalmed herself for almost forget the others, especially when Fang almost killed Vanille. She then turned to the gate where Orphan, Cloud, Sora, Fang, and Vanille were.

"Hey uhh Riku, are you sure you can deal with them?" Hope asked the silver haired Keyblade Master, but Riku only snickered while gathering the dark power in his left hand "Trust me; I've faced worse than this."

"Then we'll leave them to you" Lightning said as she ran back inside the Narthex Throne, followed by Sazh "Hey, come on! You know that miss soldier doesn't like waiting." Hope was about to protest, but Snow patted his shoulder "You heard him Hope. Come on, they need heroes to save the day." The silver haired teen nodded then looked back at the silver haired Keyblade Master "Be careful, oh and the name's Hope."

Riku then launched **Dark Firaga** from his left hand, destroying one Scrapper Unversed into black flames before he looked back at Hope "You better live up for your name then. Nice to meet ya, Hope."

Hope smiled and nodded at the Keyblade Master, but Snow called him "Hey Hope! Come on! You know that sis is not a patient type person! "

"I'm coming!" Hope then ran back to the Narthex Throne, along with Snow.

* * *

_Orphan's Cradle – The Narthex Throne_

Anti-Form attacked Orphan with all of his might. Fueled and being consumed by the power of darkness, Sora couldn't difference the enemy or ally anymore. Just acted from the instinct and attacked Orphan as it was the largest thing that he could tear apart. Cloud could only look at the spiky haired Keybearer helplessly, while Vanille covered her mouth, not believing what Sora had been turned into. "Hey spiky, how we gonna stop that lil' crazy?" Fang asked, holding her spear in case Sora would attack them "At this rate, we will turn into Cie'th and fail to save this stupid giant sphere!"

Cloud was silent for a moment, unable to answer her question. Even though he ever saw how Sora turned back from his Anti-Form back when the heartless invasion at Hollow Bastion, at that time Sora was alone and Cloud watched him from the cliff when fighting back to back with Leon "Nothing… We can only hope that Sora will turn back to normal alone."

Fang was shocked after heard his answer "Wh-What?! Are you saying that we can only sit and watch?!"

Unaware by them, the berserk Anti-From ripped one of Orphan's hand with his immense strength and threw it on the ground. Vanille who saw a big shadow beneath Fang immediately looked above her "Fang! Above you!" surprised, Fang then looked above and saw a gigantic white hand from Orphan's left side that almost fell on the top on her. Fang's eyes widened, luckily she managed to leap just before the gigantic hand hit the ground.

"Why… Why does everything have to end up like this?" Fang questioned while looking at the sky, now she was depressed, lost, and confused at the same time. How could they save Cocoon after they already lost their four comrades and now Sora had been turned into Anti-Form? As they were in anguish, suddenly three **Firaga** blasts were launched at Orphan, causing a huge explosion on the fal'Cie.

"Miracles out of misery" a voice who was none other than Sazh said, aiming his twin pistols at Orphan "You've got to be kidding me."

As the smoke rose from Orphan's body, the fal'Cie screamed in pain as it began to sink back inside the pool slowly until half of its upper body. Cloud, Fang, and Vanille turned and were shocked, seeing that Lightning, Snow, Sazh, and Hope were okay and walked toward them.

"Right." Hope agreed as he drew his boomerang "Nobody would be dumb enough to take that crock."

"You're alive." Vanille exclaimed as she saw the others "But how?"

"Could be more fal'Cie smoke and mirrors." Light then turned at Cloud who was smiling a bit, relieved that she was okay "But let's save that for later."

"But where were you?" Vanille asked them.

"Let's just say that we got a miracle from a certain guy." Hope answered, referring Riku when he saved them "And we were just thinking about everything that happened up until now. And then...it was like-"

"It was like…" Snow interrupted, and then took out Serah's crystal tear from his pocket "I had a glimpse of the future. Everyone was smiling and laughing... Even Serah and Light."

"I don't know," Sazh added as the Choco popped out from his afro and happily flew toward Cloud's spiky hair which made the SOLDIER smiled a bit "It was a new Focus, or something. Didn't really make sense, of course. I mean, knowing we were worm bait and all. But, as luck would have it, next thing I know that guy really helped us out."

Lightning then looked at Cloud, Fang, and Vanille. "You were there too. Same side. All of us," she reassured "Together until the end."

Evryone then raised their weapons, ready to finish the fal'Cie, fulfilled their focus, and also saved Cocoon from its destruction. However at the same time Sazh just realized something "Hey, aren't we one man short here?"

Hope then realized too that Sora wasn't with them "Y-Yeah, where's Sora?"

Everyone then lowered their weapons, while Cloud, Fang, and Vanille lowered their heads, couldn't find the right words to tell them what happened with Sora. "Something happened with him?" Lightning asked, but Cloud didn't answer her "What's wrong?"

Suddenly from the smoke that rose from Orphan's remains, an angry roar was heard. Everyone then could see a figure in silhouette from the smoke that resembled Sora, however as the smoke faded, everyone's eyes (except Cloud, Vanille, and Fang) widened as the figure was Sora no more. Anti-Form slowly walked toward them with full of rage inside his yellow eyes, wanting to tear them apart.

"Wh-what the?" Hope asked in disbelieve after saw the Anti-Form "T-that's Sora?"

"Cloud, you know something, right?" Lightning asked, looking at Cloud with a worried but angry expression at the same time "What happened with him?"

"Sora has been consumed with his own darkness." Cloud replied without looking back as his face turned serious, readying his Fusion Sword to fight "Now he's seeing us as friends no more."

"Oh man" Snow said in disbelieve "You mean we have to fight him?"

"Not fight hero." Fang replied with her spear in hands "Only knock him back to his sense."

"Right." Vanille agreed, readying her rod "We just need to make him remember that we are his friends."

"I swore that I would never harm a child but…" Sazh said, aiming his twin pistols back at Anti-Form "I guess that one doesn't count as one."

"Okay then" Lightning said as she held her Blazefire Saber tighter, ready to fight Anti-Form who then unleashed a powerful black aura from its body before them "Here he comes!"

* * *

**O_o a battle with Anti-Form and Riku is busy with the Unversed! I'm very evil, eh?**

**By the way I'm thinking about a Transformers and Final Fantasy XIII crossover where Odin accidentally switches place with Bumblebee. What do you think?**

**R&R as usual below.**


	19. Chapter 19 : The New Crystal Legend

_Orphan's Cradle – The Narthex Throne_

**(The Eye of Darkness – Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance)**

The Anti-Form looked the l'Cie and the SOLDIER with his menacing yellow eyes without making any move, but suddenly he ran toward Cloud who already prepared his Fusion Sword in hands. Just before Cloud could hit Anti-Form, the Anti-Form used Anti-Glide, making him disappeared from the SOLDIER's sight and reappeared from behind.

"What the?!" Cloud was taken aback then immediately turned behind and swung his Fusion Sword as Anti-Form jumped toward him. However, instead hitting Anti Form, the dark form Sora grabbed the gigantic sword and held it with his arms. Struggling against the SOLDIER, Lightning quickly saw the opportunity and transformed her gunblade into gun mode.

"Wide open!" Lightning shouted as she fired, but Anti-Form already saw it coming and jumped using the Fusion Sword as the foothold toward Lightning while the bullet only hit the blade of the sword, making a _CLANG _sound from it. "Light! Watch out!" Hope warned as Anti-Form was getting closer to her. The pink haired soldier then stored the gunblade and punched Anti-Form right on his face. But for her surprise, Anti form didn't budge a bit and grabbed her other free hand instead, throwing her with his inhuman power toward Fang who didn't see that coming and knocked them both.

Now even more angered than before, Anti-Form ran toward Hope to smash him. However just before he could lay a hand, the Anti-Form felt something that tied up his hands and shoulders, preventing him from harming the silver haired teen. As he turned back, he found out that Vanille was holding him with her rod. "R-remember who you used to be, Sora!" Vanille pleaded, still holding her rod as hard as she could, but Anti-Form easily overpowered her. With his darkness infused claws, he cut off the strings that tied him and pulled them along with Vanille, throwing the red haired Oerban toward Hope who didn't have enough time to evade and knocked them both unconscious.

At the same time, Lightning and Fang who finally stood up from the last throw were shocked with what happened to Hope and Vanille. "THAT'S IT!" Fang gritted her teeth, she couldn't handle her anger anymore as she held her spear tighter "I gonna teach this spiky brat a lesson that he won't forget!"

Before Lightning could warn her, the blue robed Oerban ran toward Anti-Form with all of her might. She then high jumped above him and threw her spear down, Anti-Form then looked above as the spear was getting closer to him, causing an explosion right before him. As Fang landed back with Cloud, Lightning, Sazh, and Snow beside her, the smoke from her **Highwind** technique started to fade away.

"Fang… You didn't actually kill him right?" Cloud asked her with uneasy feeling as he lowered his Fusion Sword.

The blue robed Oerban only crossed her hands "I just hope not, but that would stop him for a while, right?" Just before the others could reply her, Anti-Form roared with all of his anger from inside the smoke which made everyone shocked and readied their weapons again, except Fang.

"Oh man..." Snow said in disbelieve as Anti-Form walked from the smoke with black and blue flames on his body "This one really doesn't know when to give up, huh?"

"Yeah, he's more stubborn than you are, Snow." Lightning said while transforming her Blazefire Saber into sword.

"Come on, you freak!" Sazh called the Anti-Form loudly, making him turned at the afro haired man "Afraid with ol' Sazh?!"

Angered from his mockery, Anti-Form roared again and leaped toward the pilot, Lightning and Snow then stepped forward to defend Sazh. "Move away Sazh! Let us handle this." The pink haired ex-GC then raised her gunblade, prepared to stab Anti-Form on his shoulder.

However just before Anti-Form could lay a hand to any of them, an unexpected thing was happened…

_"Giving up already? C'mon, Sora, I thought you were stronger than that."_

Hearing Riku's sudden voice that echoed inside his head, Anti-Form stopped from attacking the l'Cie then held his head as he screamed in pain. Lightning, Snow, and Fang were confused at first, whereas Sazh was relieved that Anti-Form didn't attack him.

"Wha… What's happening?" Lightning asked, turning her head toward the SOLDIER "Cloud, what's going on with him?"

Cloud's eyes narrowed "It seems that Sora starts to regain his old self." He then lowered his Fusion Sword and looked at the others "Come on, we have to support him!"

Everyone then looked at each other before they lowered their weapons and looked at the struggling Sora with Anti-Form with full of hope in their eyes. "You can do this!" Lightning said first, encouraging the real spiky Keybearer inside "Don't let it takes over your body, Sora!"

"Yeah, Sora!" Snow said, throwing his fist to the struggling Anti-Form "Show him what the real heroes are!"

But Anti-Form didn't respond and kept holding his head. Dazed from Sora's real consciousness which against his will, Anti-Form stumbled and fell on the floor, still holding his head in pain. And slowly, memories from Sora's past adventures now began to reappear inside his heads, making the darkness being screamed in pain louder. His normal days when he always competed with Riku on Destiny Islands, when Kairi gave him her lucky charm in Traverse Town's underway, when he promised that he would find Namine again and promised her to become friends for real in Castle Oblivion, and after his fight with Roxas back in his Awakening. And even his promise with Neku and Shiki to visit Shibuya back in Traverse Town.

_"Don't ever forget: wherever you go, I'm always with you."_

_"One day it'll be our light, the light that brings us together. I'll be in your heart until that time comes."_

_"You make a good other."_

_"Once you find your friends, Sora, you should come hang out in our town!"_

_"Definitely. See you in Shibuya."_

"Hnggh, gggrrrnnhhhhh!" Anti-Form tried to resist the pain inside his head. However his voice was like Sora instead of growling and roaring unlike before. "It's working!" Fang exclaimed, surprised with the sight "Well damn kiddo! Ya gotta show him who da real boss is!"

Couldn't resist the pain, not only inside his head, but also on all over his body anymore, the beast of darkness' body began to crack, revealing the white light beneath his cracked skin. As the crack began to spread on all over his body, Anti-Form screamed in pain for the last time before exploded in burst of lights, making everyone had to cover their eyes and blown away a bit from the explosion. **(End of The Eye of Darkness)**

"_(Cough)(Cough)_ Hey!" Cloud called the others inside the smoke "Is everyone okay?"

"I'm fine here." Lightning replied the spiky blonde haired SOLDIER "How are the others?"

"I got Hope here, don't worry." Snow replied too while carrying Hope who was still unconscious on his back "Sazh! Fang! Vanille! You guys okay?"

"_(Cough)_ More than less." Sazh replied while wiping the dust on his afro, making Choco jumped from his hair and cripped "Need more than that to beat this ol' daddy Sazh."

"I'm fine, and I got Vanille." Fang replied too while carrying Vanille with her arms "What about that lil' spiky?"

All of them then looked at where Anti-Form was exploded. When the smoke finally faded away to clear their sights, they found that Sora who finally freed from his Anti-Form was lying on the ground, unconscious after the explosion's blast. "Cloud, is he okay?" Lightning asked as Cloud checked his body, looking for any vital signs. Cloud then looked Lightning with a small smile formed on his lips "He's okay, just sleeping as usual."

At the same time, Hope began to wake up on Snow's shoulder, groaning again after he was thrown at Vanille. "Owwww, my head." Hope then realized that he was on Snow's shoulder "Whoa! Snow? What happened?" Hope asked as he jumped down from the trench coat man "And where is Sora?"

Snow only smiled then glanced at still sleeping Sora "Nah, he's okay, just a bit exhausted after the last action. Heroes can be tired too, you know."

Hearing his answer, Hope only chuckled. At the same time Vanille began to wake up to, making Fang put her to stand again. "_(Yawn)_ That was a good sleep." Vanille said as she rubbed her eyes "Hey, so what have I missed?"

Everyone laughed, except Lightning and Cloud who was carrying Sora on his shoulder. For them, it was a moment of relieve where they finally beat Orphan for good, but Cradle didn't fall down and Sora turned back into his old self after they fought his Anti-Form. "So we already defeated Orphan." Hope said, making everyone looked at the silver haired teen "Then that means we have fulfilled our Focus, right?"

The l'Cie then realized with what he just said, and looked at where their brands were located (except Lightning whose brand was located on her chest, under her uniform). However for their surprise, their l'Cie brands were still there and didn't disappear at all. "What the?!" Snow was surprised after seeing his brand that was still on his left hand "This doesn't make sense! We should have fulfilled our Focus!"

"Then that means we haven't completely fulfilled our Focus." Fang said then thought for a moment "But what?"

Suddenly a demonic laugh, high and shrilling, rang out all around the room as a light erupted from the pool of water. Everyone except Cloud raised their weapons again and stood in defense as Orphan revealed its true form and slowly rise out from the metal liquid pool.

"I guess that's your answer, Fang." Cloud said as his face now turned serious again. Without wasting any time, Cloud ran behind them and put Sora down gently before he raised his Fusion Sword again.

"This is it everyone!" Lightning said as Orphan finally revealed its true form. However, instead gigantic monstrous form like they fought before, Orphan was now nothing more than a gigantic spinning wheel with clock ticking sound every time the wheel spun and baby like face with closed eyes.

"You overreach yourselves." Orphan said to them as its eyes began to open, revealing its blank white eyes.

"No," Lightning answered, narrowing her eyes. "We overreach you."

"...Is that so?"

Lightning bravely stepped forward, now stood before the fal'Cie. "You don't believe in anything. You gave up on life before you were even born. Sat poisoning Cocoon from the inside. Waiting for someone to come and destroy you, and even using someone else to fulfill your satisfaction if you fail." she said, referring his plan which almost made Sora turned into a monster. "Sure, you think the end of the world is salvation! All you care about is death's release, so take it and leave the rest of us alone! We don't think like that." The rest of the group then prepared for battle. "When we think there's no hope left, we keep looking until we find some. Maybe Cocoon is past saving, but it's our home. And we'll protect it or die trying! We live to make the impossible possible!" She raised her Blazefire Saber above her head then held it firmly at her side in one hand. "That is our Focus!"

**(Nascent Requiem – Final Fantasy XIII)**

Orphan let out the ear-shattering cry to them as the battle started, making all of them had to cover their ears. After its cry finally over, suddenly Hope realized something that engraved on his right hand.

"Huh?! What's this?" Hope asked as he looked at the number that engraved on his right arm that ticked down, similar like how Players in Reaper's game were given time limit on their missions. Lightning, Cloud, and the others then looked at their right arm and found that the timer was engraved on them too.

"This…! We have been hit by Doom spell!" Fang exclaimed as the timer on her arm kept running. Fang then looked at the fal'Cie who smiled darkly and laughed at them "Quick! We must finish it as fast as possible! Or else we are toasted!"

Everyone was surprised after hearing her explanation and charged at Orphan from all direction. Cloud split his sword into two, then ran toward the fal'Cie with fill speed, while Light used her **Enthunder **magic to add her gunblade and the other's weapons thunder element. "You think you can deny your fate that has been decided?" Orphan mockingly asked them while spreading its arms and angelic wings on its back "All of your efforts are futile! The day where salvation comes from the death is near!"

As Orphan rose into the air, many Invisible and Orcus heartless appeared nowhere, surrounding them with their numerous numbers. "Damn right…" Fang cursed as the heartless kept appearing near the pool where Orphan was "At this rate, we won't even make it."

Suddenly in a flash of light, all of the heartless turned into black smokes. Everyone was surprised then turned around to see who it was. "Sorry for the delay." It was none other than Sora who in his Final Form with his two Ultima Weapon Keyblades that floated on his back. One from his second adventure and another one from his journey in Realm of Sleep "So, you guys miss me?"

"SORA!" Everyone exclaimed and relieved at the same time, seeing Sora was fine, while Orphan only looked surprised with everything that happened. "How… how could this happen?!" the rouge fal'Cie asked in disbelieve. Frustrated and angered, Orphan gritted its teeth and let out an ear-shattering cry to slow them again. But this time thanks to Sora's **Reflega** magic, everyone was protected in the hexagonal patterned barrier.

"We have to finish this in one attack!" Lightning stated as she gathered the magic power on her left hand "One strike that will decide Cocoon's fate!"

Snow nodded while gathering the magic power on his right hand too "I got it Light, you guys ready?"

Everyone nodded as their answer while Cloud fused back his sword. "Those wings are still our problem though." A black wing then appeared on his left shoulder as he charged the Fusion Sword with blue energy "I'll have to break them first."

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Lightning asked the SOLDIER with a bit of worry in her voice, but Cloud only smirked "This is nothing compared with Sephiroth." He then looked at Sora who still maintained the barrier with his two Keyblades "Sora! We only have one chance, so don't mess this up!"

"Aye. You got it, Cloud." As the cry stopped, Sora twirled his Keyblades and pointed at Orphan. Cloud immediately jumped with high speed and slashed Orphan's wings many times with his **Omnislash**, destroying the wings into pieces and revealing Orphan's full body before them. "THIS IS IT!" without wasting any time, Lightning and the others threw many **Ruin** and **Ruinga** spells to fal'Cie, one mistake and their efforts would be nothing to saved Cocoon and Pulse. As the spells exploded right on Orphan's face, Lightning and the other l'Cie could only assume with full of hope that they finally defeated Orphan for good, while Cloud landed beside them and reverted back his wing. However instead destroyed, Orphan was still survived after the last attack, albeit with cracks on all over his body. **(End of Nascent Requiem)**

"FOOLISH HUMANS! LIKE I SAID, ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS ARE FUTILE!" Orphan maniacally laughed at them and raised its hands like it was about to win "NOTHING SHALL STOP THE DAY OF THE WRATH!"

Lightning gritted her teeth while the other l'Cie looked devastated after all that they did _'Damn, is this how everything will end?'_

"Think again Orphan!" A huge beam of light suddenly pierced through the fal'Cie face from Sora's twirled Keyblades, creating a huge hole on the fal'Cie body. Orphan didn't realize that Sora was gathering the energy of light on the tip of his Keyblades while the l'Cie attacked it with their magic. As the spiky Keybearer reverted back into his normal form along with his Keyblade, Orphan let out a mangled wail and began to sink into the metallic pool below.

As Orphan's body finally submerged inside the metallic pool, the whole room began to shake, causing everyone stumbled and fell on the floor.

"W-what's going on?" Sora asked while using his hands as supports.

"Eden is falling!" Lightning exclaimed "Hurry! We have to... wha-"

Suddenly they began to float on the air as the whole place started to crumble as the result of Orphan's defeat. The l'Cie finally fulfilled their focus in destroying Orphan and brought the end of Cocoon along with their Keybearer and the SOLDIER companions.

* * *

_Orphan's Cradle – The Narthex_

"I guess that's all of them." Riku said as he slayed the last Unversed back into black flames "That was quite tiring actually."

When Riku wiped his sweats, suddenly the whole room was shaking, making the silver haired Keyblade Master stumbled to the ground. "This couldn't be good." Riku said to himself as he stood back and ran to find a way out "I have to get out of here!"

However just before he could touch the portal, a white pillar of light appeared behind him. Surprised and confused at the same time, Riku then turned back and examined the pillar of light.

"Hey kid, jump in! C'mon, we don't have much time, ya hear me?! " Cid's voice suddenly echoed from the pillar "It's quite messy up here, and I don't know how long Shera could take this anymore!"

"Just in the right time, Cid." Riku said before he jumped inside the pillar and transported back to the Gummi Ship Shera.

* * *

_Orphan's Cradle – The Narthex Throne_

Sora, Cloud, Lightning, Hope, Snow, Sazh, Fang, and Vanille were floating in midair away from Orphan's Cradle and toward the fal'Cie Eden in the sky. Cocoon continued to break apart into crystal particles around them, and in a sudden burst of energy Eden ceased to light up the city below. Creatures from Gran Pulse still walked the streets of the capital, unknowingly destroying everything in their path.

"Stay together!" Light yelled, and the others then grabbed onto each other. However Snow realized that Fang and Vanille weren't with them.

"Fang! Vanille!" Snow called the two Oerban girls who were below them. But instead joined up with them, they remained below, holding their hands as they watched them slowly went away.

"Hold on, I'm going to get-" Before Sora could use his glide ability, Cloud grabbed his shoulder, preventing the teenager from saving them "Cloud?! Why?"

"Just like what you said, Sora." Cloud replied as he closed his eyes "They are doing what their heart command. We can't interfere."

Sora couldn't say anything and reluctantly nodded. Everyone then tightened their hands and the next thing that happened was two Oerban l'Cie disappeared in a burst of light and formed the complete form of Ragnarok, all the creatures from Gran Pulse disintegrating when the light reached them. Ragnarok then dove beneath the surface of Cocoon and disappeared from sight, making Cocoon's shell began to be covered in crystal surface and a giant crystal pillar that came from Pulse's surface, struggling against the falling Cocoon to prevent it from crashing Pulse.

* * *

_Oerba – Village Propper_

From Oerba, Xemnas, and Sephiroth watched how Ragnarok tried to protect both Cocoon and Pulse of them with its crystal pillar. Xemnas watched in amusement, while Sephiroth wondered something.

"So, this is the end, huh?"

"Wrong." Xemnas corrected him as a smirk formed on his lips "This is just the beginning, Sephiroth. In fact, those two l'Cie are making this easier for us."

"That's right." Vanitas said as he appeared from behind with the portal of darkness "Those two just showed us the way to reach the heart of this world."

Sephiroth then turned his head to the newcomer whose face couldn't be seen due of his helmet, but one thing that was sure for the silver haired swordsman was that Vanitas was one of pure being of darkness, just like Ansem "And who you might be, young boy?"

"The name's Vanitas." He introduced himself as his helmet melted, revealing his face who was very like Sora, albeit with raven colored hair, yellow eyes, and paler skin "A being of darkness, same as you pretty man."

* * *

**It's been a long time since I uploaded the last chapter. However due of my mid term test, I may not update in a week or two.**

**Sorry if the final fight with Orphan isn't too great. Seriously, as the final boss, Orphan was too weak.**

**R&R as usual below, only 5 more before I could reach 100!**


	20. Chapter 20 : Their True Enemies

**I apologize for not updating this story sooner than usual. The college gave me the never ending assignments which would be lasted until January (very crazy). And this is the 20th chapter, I hope you enjoy this.**

**And wow! over 100 reviews? Words can't express my gratitude for those who have reviewed this story! Thank you soo much.**

** WingBladeWeaver1357: Thanks, maybe I'll celebrate it along with my sister's birthday on 25th (yes her birthday is 25th December, right on Christmas)**

* * *

_Gran Pulse – Outside of Cocoon_

The people inside the Havoc Skytanks and even Riku and Cid who were inside Shera watched in their amazement how Ragnarok, the most fearsome being that people in Cocoon believed as a doom bringer tried to stop the Cocoon's fall by freezing it before it collided with Gran Pulse. Fang and Vanille who appeared from the liquid crystal surface smiled and held their hands together for the last time.

_"Miracles can happen, but not by waiting until it comes."_ Vanille spoke in her mind before she closed her eyes and her body started to be covered with the crystal.

_"We have chosen our destiny for the brighter tomorrow."_ Fang also spoke in her mind as she closed her eyes and began to be covered with the crystal _"And now, we will live to greet a new dawn."_

As three head figures formed on the top of Cocoon, crystal pillar finally stopped the fall of Cocoon for good. The people of Cocoon finally could see the reality behind the most hellish place that they had been told for generations.

"What was that!?" One refugee from the ship asked.

"Cocoon stops… falling?" Another one asked. As they discussed about what just happened to Cocoon, Colonel Yaag Rosch spoke through the intercom from another ship.

**_"Citizens of Cocoon, this is Colonel Yaag Rosch from PSICOM. We will about to land on the Pulse, however to ensure your safety when we land, please keep yourself close either with PSICOM or Guardian Corps soldiers."_**

Hearing his announcement, all people inside the ship began to either panic or excited. Most of them were panicked due of their knowledge about Pulse as a living hell, while the rest were excited for seeing the Pulse as a green natural place unlike the Pulse that they always feared.

"Did I just hear that right!?" One refugee asked in disbelieve "Land on the Pulse?! Is he crazy or what?! That means we have to live on the Pulse! On this hellish place!"

"But Pulse is very beautiful here." Another female refugee retorted, protesting what he just said "It's not like what we have been told about it back in Cocoon."

Inside the Shera, Riku and Cid's expressions were like they just have watched a ghost or something. Even for once in his entire life, travelling between the worlds, Riku never seen anything like that before.

"Incredible…" Riku murmured with eyes widened from the window "Those two… It was like there was no darkness inside them. Not a bit."

"Hell yea, that was a quite good damn show." Cid agreed, still steering on the cockpit. "Say kid, are we done yet here?"

The silver haired Keyblade master nodded "Yeah. Come on, we can't let Sora know that we are here Cid."

Cid however only sighed then looked at the heat gauge which already reached the red zone "Sorry kid, I'm afraid we have to stay here a bit longer."

"Huh?! what do you mean?"

"See that gauge over there?" The pilot pointed at the heat gauge meter nearby "If we keep flying like this. The engine will overheat and BOOM! We're toasted like a roasted Chocobo!"

Riku heavily sighed, but he had no other choice. But at least he already ensured Sora's safety and helped Lightning and her comrades although only for a moment. "Guess we don't have another choice, then." He then smiled back again and crossed his arms "Lead the way, pilot."

"Then fasten yer safety belt, kid." Cid smiled then turned the control, making the ship slowly descended to the ground. Of course for the most people from Cocoon, their ship was quite strange so they had to land far away from where most of the PSICOM cruisers landed. Not too far from the crystallized Cocoon, Light, Snow, Hope, and Sazh stood crystallized with eyes closed, while Sora and Cloud were only lying unconscious on the grass. Sora was the first one who opened his eyes.

"_(Yawn) _what a good sleep." The spiky brunette Keybearer scratched his head before stood up and stretched his hand "Been a while since I did that back in the island."

As he turned around to find the others, he found that Cloud began to stand after rubbing his head.

"Hey Cloud, you okay?" Sora asked as he helped Cloud to stand again.

"Yeah… I guess." He replied, still resisting the dizzy feeling on his head "So, where are the others?"

Before Sora could answer, the two then heard a shimmering sound behind them. When they turned to see what it was, they found that Light, Snow, Hope, and Sazh's crystallized forms began to shine, turning them back to normal.

"I guess that answers your question Cloud." Sora commented, putting his hands behind his head as usual. Hearing his comments, Cloud only nodded.

As the l'Cie slowly opened their eyes, they found that the Keyblade wielder and the SOLDIER already stood before them, waiting them awoke from their crystal stasis.

"So, did you guys enjoy your nap?" Sora asked with a grin.

"Yeah… kinda…" Hope answered then stretched his hands. Suddenly he found something that caught his eyes on his left arm "My brand! It's gone!"

Hearing what he said, the others quickly looked at where their brand was. They were surprised at first, but quickly turned happy, knowing that they finally completed their focus.

Cloud only smiled a bit and crossed his arms "Then it appears that you already completed your Focus."

"Yeah." Lightning nodded then looked at the crystallized Cocoon with a smile on her face. However, unlike her usual gentle smile, this time she really smiled from the happiness, knowing that they finally fulfilled their focus and could see another day tomorrow "It really is a miracle; they really saved the world…"

"No, they gave us a new one." Snow said, referring the fact that they should live on Gran Pulse from now on.

Not too far from them, Snow noticed two familiar figures who were walking together. One figure was a girl who appeared to be eighteen in her age wearing the same red plaid pleated skirt lined with black lace, a white sleeveless dress shirt, a semi-transparent pink sweeper. She was seen talking with a child who wore a set of dusky pink dungarees over a light blue and green zipped jacket and trousers, with a white polo-neck underneath and appeared to be six years or so in his age. They were none other than Serah Farron, and Dajh Katzroy, finally woke up from their crystal stasis.

"An', an', an' there was this whole big bunch of Chocobos there." Dajh said to the younger Farron while walking together, making her giggled with how he spoke his sentence.

"There was, was there?" She replied back before looking at the people who were in front of them.

"Hey, look there." Serah said pointing Dajh at his father Sazh, which made the afro haired kid happily ran to him, followed by her.

"Serah!" Snow eyes widened and immediately ran toward her fiancée filled with happiness for seeing her again, followed by Sazh "DAJH!"

The four then embraced themselves in a tight hug for missing each other, laughing together after been separated. Lightning couldn't help but smile for this time seeing her sister with her brother in law wannabe.

"Well Light, I guess you finally got your happy ending." Cloud said, crossing his arms as he walked beside her.

"Claire…"

"Huh?"

She then brought herself closer to the SOLDIER, whispered near his ear "My _real _name… It's Claire."

Cloud looked at her and sighed "You could tell me sooner than that."

"Between live or death situations like before?" Light teasingly asked "I don't think so."

Hearing her response, the blond SOLDIER chuckled a bit. Meanwhile, Sora looked at the now crystallized Cocoon in awe, while Hope looked it with a bit of sadness in his eyes.

"They are gone, aren't they?" Hope asked, now looking down, unsure whether he would meet the two Oerbans again or not. However Sora came from behind and patted his shoulder.

"No they aren't" Sora said, making the silver haired teen turned his head toward him. The spiky Keybearer then pointed at his chest. "If you believe that you will see them again, then you will. Trust me Hope."

"Really?" The silver haired teen asked again

Sora nodded and smiled at him, putting his hands behind his head as usual "Of course. Your hearts are bounded together, along with me, Cloud, and the others." Sora said, now holding his hand on his chest too "Just follow what your heart tells to do, and eventually you will reunite with them again."

Hearing his explanation, Hope smiled and ran to the others, followed by the spiky brunette Keybearer. As they joined with the rest, Snow along with Serah ran toward them, while Sazh and his son Dajh walked from behind. The younger Farron sister then hugged her elder sister like they had been separated for years.

"I miss you." She said, still hugging her elder sister while Lightning gently hugged her back.

"Serah… I'm sorry." She apologized slowly, had she believed her words back at Bodhum, all of this things would never happened. However the younger Farron sister only smiled as she released her arms "It's okay."

"Hey! Come on, the apologies can wait." Snow suddenly pulled Serah back interrupting the two sisters "We've got a wedding to plan! You are gonna allow it-right?"

"Wow, you don't waste any time, do you?" Hope asked with an amused tone as he and the others approached them from behind.

"Nu-uh I don't."

Sazh chuckled after heard his answer "That's right. Just charge in, guns blazing."

Everyone laughed and shared their moments altogether, while Sora and Cloud only watched from distance.

"Well, I guess one problem is solved." Sora said as he put his hands behind his head as usual "Don't you think so, Cloud?"

"I guess so." The blond SOLDIER replied with a small smile formed on his face which unnoticed by the Keyblade wielder.

It wasn't too long after Light, Snow, Serah, Hope, Sazh, and Dajh enjoyed their reunion together, they ran back to the Keybearer and the SOLDIER "Hey! You guys come too okay? You will be our special guests." Snow happily said with Serah on his side.

"Guests? What do you mean?" Sora asked, confused with his sudden invitation.

Snow chuckled while holding Serah tighter which made her blushed "Well, our wedding of course!"

"Really?! Congratulations!" Sora exclaimed then looked at Cloud with his hopeful look on his blue eyes "We will come, right Cloud?"

The blond SOLDIER only sighed, he knew that he had experienced the same thing when they first landed on Archylte Steppe. Knowing that forbidding the spiky haired boy would be useless as he would plead him more, Cloud crossed his arms and nodded "As long as you behave. Remember that I'm not babysitting you, Sora."

"Stop treating me like a kid, will ya? I'm old enough to behave myself!" Sora retorted and crossed his arms, which made Snow laughed and Serah giggled from his reaction.

"Awww man. How could you guys invite them and not us?" A voice said from behind, making everyone quickly turned to see who was talking. However instead a person, they saw a purple and black portal formed from the ground.

"What the?!" Lightning asked, surprised with the portal of darkness sudden appearance.

From inside the portal, two figures which one is familiar for them from his long silver hair and his long nodachi katana and another one who wore a black and red bionic looking bodysuit and black helmet began to walk out, greeting the Keybearer, the SOLDIER and the ex-l'Cie. "After all we are their relatives too, you know."

"Sephiroth!" Cloud exclaimed and drew his Fusion sword as he was ready to fight him again.

"You again?!" Lightning gritted her teeth while drawing her gunblade "I thought you ran away after that battle at the tower."

Everyone then drew their weapons again while Serah hid behind Snow and Dajh behind his father. Sephiroth was about to take his Masamune out, but the boy in black who was none other than Vanitas raised his hand, preventing the Silver Elite from attack "Easy Seph, we are here to pay them a vist, aren't we?"

"Like you think we'll buy that!" Sora said as he summoned his Keyblade "And who are you?!"

Vanitas only chuckled at him thinking like Sora was a kind of idiot for not remembering him at all after their first encounter inside the Church at La Cité des Cloches, although he was inside Young Xehanort's body at that time "Gee, you already forgotten me? Boy, you sure aren't too smart, are ya?"

"Just answer my question!"

"Fine fine." Vaitas answered with a bored tone and slowly melted his black helmet, revealing his raven colored spiky hair and his yellow colored eyes, along with his arrogant smile "There. Happy now?"

Everyone was shocked with Vanitas' appearance, they didn't expect that Vanitas would have the same face as Sora. But Sora was the one who most shocked with his lookalike appearance, albeit with raven colored hair, yellow colored eyes, and paler skin on his face.

"W-what?!" Sora said in disbelieve, holding his Keyblade tighter which made Vanitas smirked "B-but how?"

* * *

**From what I have read about Vanitas appearance on KH3D at La Cite des Cloches, it seems that Sora didn't see him as his image appears due of Ventus reaction inside Sora's heart. However it seems that Vanitas saw him through Xehanort's body judging from his mimicry of words.**

**R&R as usual below.**


	21. Chapter 21 : Final Battle

**Okay. First of all, I'm really sorry for not updating after a long time. I was preparing for my final exam.**

**Anyway for DragonMaster197 - I don't think I will make the sequel since I never played XIII-2 before.**

**Well, aside from that enjoy the 21st chapter.**

* * *

Everyone could only glare the two newcomers warily as they were ready to fight. Although Sora was quite shocked for seeing Vanitas's face that resembled him for a moment, he quickly snapped away and looked the two with fierce eyes. However, Vanitas only chuckled while putting his hand on his forehead after seeing how they reacted toward them.

"What's so funny?" Lightning asked in her demanding voice.

Vanitas then looked at the pink haired soldier with a sinister smile on his face "Nothing. We just want to thank you for helping us."

"We don't remember helping you two before." Hope said as he drew his boomerang "And why does your face resemble Sora?"

"Tch, beats me." Vanitas replied then looked at the crystallized Cocoon "As for your help, well…"

"Your two l'Cie friends just helped us find the core of this world." Sephiroth continued Vanitas' words, slowly walking toward them with Masamune still in his hand. The silver haired swordsman then looked them with a calm smile on his face "I guess there's no need for using Meteor again as this world soon will be devoured by its own darkness."

Without wasting any seconds, Cloud began to charge his sword as he was ready to attack Sephiroth anytime "Not if I can stop you Sephiroth!"

"Yeah, and I don't know who you are. But there's no way we'll let you guys doing that!" Sora followed, now standing beside the SOLDIER.

However Vanitas only chuckled, not feeling intimidated at all "Boy, you sure aren't too smart, are ya?"

"I have already enough with this!" Snow retorted with Serah still hiding behind him "Just spill it out!"

At the same time, Xemnas stood before Cocoon with a Keyblade similar with Master Xehanort's in his hand. Behind him a lot of GC and PSICOM soldiers were lying, unconscious from his **Thunder** attack. He then looked at the center of Cocoon where Fang and Vanille were in their deep crystal slumber.

"Even though Sora was able to resist his darkness" Xemnas spoke as a keyhole began to form between the two crystallized Oerban girls, "At least this would be a perfect gift… for our master."

Xemnas brought his Keyblade and pointed it at the keyhole. However, as he was about to unlock it, a dark fireball suddenly hit his hand, tossing his Keyblade away and disappeared in black flames.

However, Xemnas wasn't shocked at all as he had already predicted that, "Hmm, I never thought I would see you again after the event in our castle…" He then turned around to face his attacker who was none other than the same silver haired teen who finally made it into a Keyblade Master. "Riku."

_Ten minutes ago in Shera…_

Riku was leaning against the wall, waiting for how long until they could fly again, while Cid was tinkering inside the machine room. Aside from waiting, Riku could only hear Cid's grumbling and swearing words or a small explosion sound.

"Hey Cid, you're okay?" Riku asked only to hear more explosion sounds from the nearby door.

"DAMMIT! WHAT'S $#&?! WRONG WITH THIS THING?!" Cid cussed from the engine room which made Riku sweat dropped "Well, I guess that means no…" He muttered before leaning again. As he was about to close his eyes to rest, suddenly he snapped away and looked at the Crystallized Cocoon with frown "This smell… _Xemnas!_"

Without wasting any time, the silver haired teen headed to where he smelled his presence, the Crystallized Cocoon.

_Present time…_

"Hmph, I'm surprised that you still retain your keen sense." Xemnas then summoned his Ethereal Blades and pointed one of them at the silver haired teen while he glared him with Way to the Dawn Keyblade in his hand "Kind of ironic that you got that from my heartless."

_Back to Sora and the others._

"What?!" Sora eyes widened in shock as he wouldn't dare to say the conclusion from their explanation "So you two are just…"

Vanitas smirked again "Talking friends for you and decoys as well."

Sephiroth then raised his Masamune once again, pointing it toward the group "As you can see right now… In the end, these people can't help but to give in themselves into the darkness. You people are just too naïve to not believe that."

Suddenly a gunshot was heard, Sephiroth then lowered his katana and looked below to find a gunhole on the ground near his feet. The Silver Elite Swordsman and the Dark Being then looked at Lightning with smoking Blazefire Saber in gun mode pointed at them.

"For decades, the people from Cocoon had been poisoned with fear of this place…" She then transformed her gunblade into sword mode and stepped forward with the blade still pointed at them "And now you want to give them another fear of darkness?" As she spoke, Snow, Sazh, and Hope now stood beside her with their weapons raised before them while Serah and Sazh were behind them "Then you'll have to get through us first!"

Vanitas chuckled mockingly "Seriously? Do you know that you aren't l'Cie anymore?" He then summoned his gear shaped Keyblade 'Void Gear' and pointed it at them with a devilish smirk on his face as he was about to enjoy torturing them "Yet you're still thinking that you can win against us?"

Suddenly Sora and Cloud jumped in front of them, now standing before the two with Lightning and her friends behind them "Maybe they don't have their l'Cie power anymore, but…" Sora said as he summoned another Keyblade 'Oathkeeper' from his left arm and his clothes turned red and black with Fleur-de-lis symbol "We DO!"

_'Two Keyblades!?'_ Vanitas was shocked for a moment as he never seen a person who could wield more than one Keyblade before. But soon his face turned into a small smirk again "So you're full of surprises eh? Then COME AND GET ME, YOU LOSER!"

**(L'Impeto Oscuro – KH3D)**

Without wasting any time, Sora and Cloud jumped toward Sephiroth and Vanitas. Lightning who watched them exchanged blows and attacks knew that this fight would be a disadvantage for them since they didn't have their l'Cie powers anymore. "Serah…" Lightning called her younger sister without looking her, making the younger Farron looked her elder sister with worried eyes and Dajh in her arms "Take Dajh and run as fast as you can."

"But…"

"Just go!" Hope interrupted "Maybe we aren't l'Cie anymore, but we still can fight!"

"Yer sister is right." Dajh agreed with his dual guns aimed at Vanitas or Sephiroth before he looked her "And please take care of Dajh."

Serah was hesitated for a moment, but she finally ran as her sister told her to do so. At the same time Vanitas was blocking Sora's cross slash with his Void gear. Now having their weapons locked one another, the raven haired boy smirked at him.

"You know, I think it's kinda unfair if we're the only one who fighting."

Sora raised one of his eyebrows, but still struggled against him without reducing his strength "What do you mean?"

However, instead giving the answer, Vanitas snapped his fingers. Suddenly many Flood and Scrapper Unversed appeared nowhere, surrounding Lightning, Snow, Sazh, and Hope. Sora's eyes widened in surprise which gave Vanitas enough time to break free and gave him a roundhouse kick that sent the spiky Keyblader away from him. Luckily Sora managed to regain his balance on the air and landed on the ground while Vanitas was floating before him, looking him with his arrogant smile.

"You…" Sora gritted his teeth, unable to express how angry he was after watching how Vanitas used the Unversed to attack Lightning and the others who weren't l'Cie anymore. He then looked at them and saw how troubled they were to handle even the low class Unversed. Lightning was slashing then shooting the nearby Unversed, reducing them into small black flames only to make them appeared more from the grounds. Snow was punching the one of the flood Unversed and threw it to the other Unversed and destroyed them in black flames, only to make the remaining Unversed called their allies. Hope on the other hand was having a trouble as he could only smack the Unversed using his boomerang which didn't give too much effect on it. Sazh tried to shoot the Unversed with his guns, however most of the bullets just passed through their body without even harming them.

"Pitiful." Vanitas said as he looked them with crossed arms, still floating before Sora "They are just other weaklings without their l'Cie power."

Sora didn't respond at his words. Instead he quickly jumped at him and gave him a full roundhouse swing with his two Keyblades. Vanitas saw this coming and tried to block it, but the force of the two Keyblades was too strong that he was thrown away by them.

Meanwhile, Cloud was exchanging blows and slashes with Sephiroth. Both of them were fighting on the air with their own shoulder wing. They kept exchanging attacks until finally both of their weapons were locked each other. As Cloud tried to push Sephiroth, the silver haired swordsman stared him with menacing his green cat pupil eyes.

"Once I'm finished with you…" Sephiroth said then suddenly increased his strength, surprising Cloud before he pushed him further then gave him a kick on his stomach, sending the SOLDIER fall onto the ground "I'll take the power of the Keyblade from that kid."

Cloud tried to stand using his Fusion Sword as support and glared at his nemesis before he readied his sword again "Then you'll have to get through me first!"

The blond warrior jumped at Sephiroth's height and began clashing their swords again then slashed each other again. At the same time, due of their status as humans again, Lightning and the others were having a hard time dealing with Vanitas Unversed lackeys. Every time they defeated one of the Unversed, more of them just appeared, replacing the previous one. Serah could only watch behind the nearby rock with scared look on her face while covering Dajh's face so he couldn't see the fight as it was too violent for a kid like him.

"Why…" Serah said as a tear began to fall from her eyes "After everything we went through…"

_With Riku…_

The silver haired Keyblade Master kept exchanging blows and slashes with the Superior-in-Between. Although Riku managed to dodge most of Xemnas' laser bullets, he had to admit that Xemnas was faster than the last time when he fought him alongside Sora in the Realm of Nothingness. Exhausted after blocking and dodging his attacks, Riku took a deep breath.

"Tch… Never thought that he would be this strong." Riku muttered while looking around to find Xemnas, however he was nowhere on his sight _'What the? Where is he?!'_

Suddenly Xemnas appeared behind him with glowing Ethereal Blades, catching him off guard "You should never let your guard down, Riku." Surprised and didn't have any time to evade, Riku took the blow that he gave on his back, he cried in pain as he flew toward the crystal pillar that was holding Cocoon then crashed on his back.

"Hrrnggh…" Riku groaned as he tried to stand, but Xemnas already placed one of his blades near his neck.

"I guess being the Keyblade Master doesn't mean that you're stronger than before."

Riku closed his eyes as Xemnas raised his Ethereal Blades, preparing to give him a final blow. However just before the tip of the blades could touch the silver haired teen's neck, a loud 'BANG' shot was heard along with a bullet that hit the Superior-in-Between arm, making him pulled his blades back.

"What?!" Xemnas was shocked then turned around to see another silver haired man in PSICOM lieutenant colonel uniform with a gun in his hand which was none other than Colonel Yaag Rosch who looked him with frown on his face while pointing his smoking handgun.

"You…!" Before Xemnas could finish his words, Riku took this short moment to kick his gut and gave him a **Dark Firaga** blast on his chest, knocking him off balance. This gave Riku much time to recover and gave the PSICOM colonel a relieved smile as his thanks.

"Thanks for the help."

Rosch only smiled a bit while holstering back his handgun "I'm just doing my duty to protect the civilians." He then turned back and looked the silver haired Keyblade Master before walked away "The rest is up to you, kid."

Riku nodded then stood again before Xemnas who was holding his chest in pain. As he held his Keyblade tighter, black and dark blue aura began to surround his body. "It's time to end this!" As the aura faded, Riku was now in his Dark Mode, wearing his purple and dark blue bionic looking bodysuit with black heartless insignia on his chest and now his transformed Way to the Dawn Keyblade into Soul Eater on his hand. Charging his Soul Eater with his light energy, Riku then jumped in lightning speed above Xemnas and gave him a heavy vertical blow at him. His **Helmet** **Splitter** attack was stronger than before that result a huge shockwave of light and a big crater hole at where they were standing. However as the smoke from his attack fade, Xemnas was nowhere to be found. Surprised, Riku then looked around to find him **(End of L'Impeto Oscuro)**.

"His presence…" Riku said as he reverted back into his normal clothes along with his Soul Eater that transformed back into Way to the Dawn "Is gone! Dammit! So he fled away." He then looked at the glowing keyhole of the world between the crystallized Fang and Vanille. At first, he was about to lock it by himself, but he quickly realized that the whole reason he followed Sora was only to ensure that he's okay. "Well Sora, I guess I've done my part here." As he dismissed his Keyblade, Riku then saw many Guardian Corps soldiers along with Raines and Rygdea to find out what happened due of the commotion from their fight before. Didn't want to cause any trouble, Riku ran back to where Shera Gummi Ship was "At least I could tell Kairi that you're okay."

"What the?!" Rygdea said, unable to find the right words after saw many fallen PSICOM or GC soldiers on the ground, Raines with his one hand that still fully functional tried to brought one barely conscious soldier "Rygdea, help me with this one."

The Calvary soldier immediately lent his hand to help the GC soldier stood "What's going on here, Soldier?"

"Huff… huff… _(Wheeze)_ a strange man in black coat…" he tried as best as he could to describe Xemnas, but he was too exhausted then passed out. The two then leaned him on the nearby rock to give him rest "Just rest. You can tell the details later." The ex-Calvary commander turned his head to his former partner "Rygdea, tell the rest of the Calvary units to bring the medics here."

"Heh. To think I was about to shoot you back in Eden." Rygdea said while reaching his pocket to find his comm. unit "I guess fate always have surprises for everyone."

Hearing his reply, Raines only sighed and smiled a bit while looking at the sky _'At least these people could finally live in freedom and no fear just like I wanted for a long time.'_

_Back with Lightning and the others._

"Dammit! They're too many!" Lightning cursed as she slayed another unversed. Sweating and tired from the fighting, Light began to fall on her knee as she was too exhausted that she needed to rest for a bit. Unknown for her, a Scrapper unversed approached from behind.

"Light! Behind you!" Hope yelled from afar as he struggled against one Flood that held his boomerang. Hearing his warning, Lightning quickly turned her head and found one unversed that was jumping with its razor claws pointed at her.

_'This can't be the end…'_ Lightning thought as she closed her eyes in fear, ready to be slashed by the Scrapper's claws. But for her surprise, the Scrapper was blown away in a burst of bullets before it could lay a finger on her. "What? But who…?" Lightning then looked at the where the explosive bullet came from, her eyes widened as she found that someone who just saved her was a big man wielding a giant portable bladed Gatling cannon with smoke on the tip after shooting the Scrapper. He had short, spiky, brown hair and brown mustache and wore a GC uniform with a bracer with two orange fluorescent stripes on his left hand indicating his Lieutenant position within the Corps.

"Letting your guard down against the small pups like that..." The man said in laid back tone as he lowered his Gatling cannon and walked toward Lightning "Are you getting rusty eh? Farron?"

"Lieutenant Amodar?!" Lighting exclaimed in surprise as she found that her savior was none other than her direct superior during her Guardian Corps days.

"Save the chat for later." Amodar then aimed his weapon at the group of unversed that were surrounding Snow, Sazh, and Hope "Now it's time to teach you how the GC soldier fights their enemies again."

In a storm of razing bullets, Amodar quickly destroyed the surrounding Scrappers and Floods into nothing but small black flames, freeing Hope, Snow, and Sazh. As he shot the last Unversed, Lightning could only watch in amazement seeing how her lieutenant handled the Unversed despite not having any l'Cie power at all. "And that's how you do it." He said with a proud tone as he lowered his smoking Gatling cannon.

At the same time, Hope and the rest just realized that they weren't surrounded anymore. He then noticed the newcomer besides Lightning as he stood along with the others.

"Huh? Who's that guy?" Hope asked while folding his Airwing back then pocketed it.

"Lieutenant Amodar." Snow answered while rubbing his head then tilted his head "He's from Bodhum Security Regiment, same as Lightning. And he's her direct superior as well."

Sazh eyes widened as he scratched his hair "What?! I just hope he's not as bad as Miss Grumpy then."

Snow then tapped his shoulder with a wide smile on his face "Nah, you'll like him once you know him, pops." He then ran forward to greet them with Hope followed from behind.

"Again with that pops thing…" Sazh muttered before he followed them.

As they reunited again, Serah and Dajh immediately approached their respective important person. Serah hugged Lightning with teary eyes, while Dajh hugged his father with a smile like anything bad didn't happen.

"I was so worried…" Serah said as she slowly released her hands "I thought for a second, I would lose you again."

"It's okay Serah…" Lightning replied with soft tone "We're okay, aren't we?"

However Lightning suddenly realized that Cloud and Sora were still fighting Sephiroth and Vanitas. This made her had to let go their short moment and faced her superior "Lieutenant Amodar."

"What's up Farron? You looked like you forgot something important."

"That's right, sir! This isn't over yet." Lightning replied, "We must escort the civilians away from Cocoon. Our other two comrades are still fighting over there. "

"What?! I'd better contact the scouting squad then." Amodar then reached his pocket and grabbed his comm. unit to call for help. Although Serah never met the other two people that Lightning mentioned, she could tell from her eyes that they're very important to her as friends or even more than that.

"Lightning. Will they be okay?"

"They could handle themselves Serah." Lightning answered with hidden worry in her eyes, _'I hope so.'_

_With Cloud and Sephiroth…_

**(One Winged Angel – Kingdom Hearts Final Mix)**

The two swordsmen kept attacking each other without holding back. However most of Sephiroth's attacks already caused some of the crystallized part of Cocoon shattered into pieces and fell down, causing some civilians under them panicked as they ran escorted by the GC or PSICOM soldiers.

"You bastard!" Cloud shouted while attacking Sephiroth with a vertical slash, only to be blocked by his nodachi "Stop involving the others!"

"Then try to stop me if you can." the One Winged Angel said then disappeared from his sight. Surprised, Cloud then looked around to find him, but he was nowhere to found. Suddenly the blond SOLDIER felt a blackish red aura began to surround his body "What the?!"

"Descend…" Sephiroth's voice came from behind. Noticing the direction where the voice was, Cloud immediately turned and found his nemesis was floating higher above him with one hand that wasn't holding his nodachi glowing with blue and dark purple energy "Heartless Angel!"

Cloud suddenly felt that his energy was draining fast that forced him to land and reverted back his wing. Gasping for the air from his nemesis' desperation attack, Cloud glared Sephiroth with fiery eyes as he gracefully landed before him.

"Pathetic…" Sephiroth said as he saw Cloud tried to stand using his sword as support. He then raised his Masamune and pointed it at him "You've seen by yourself how the darkness will always consume you, and yet…" Sephiroth then ran with full speed with Masamune aimed directly at Cloud "You're still persistent to accept that."

Sweating and exhausted from the last attack, with every bit of the strength that he had, Cloud raised his Fusion Sword to fight him again. However, instead using his usual stance, this time he held his Fusion Sword tip-backwards. _'Sorry, if I'm copying this from you, Sora.' _He mentally apologized as he saw Sephiroth was getting closer, ready to stab him on his chest.

As Sephiroth was about to thrust his sword, Cloud immediately gave him a horizontal slash that went through his body similar like Sora's **Zantetsuken**. The two then stood in silence until finally the One Winged Angel dropped his Masamune and fell on his knee. **(End of One Winged Angel)**

"Hmph… never thought that you could use that boy's trick." Sephiroth said as he clutched his chest to hold the pain. "But still…" He then looked at the blond SOLDIER with his piercing eyes and calm smile as his nodachi started to vanish in black smoke "Don't you think it's already over Cloud. As long as you can't accept your darkness, I'll always come back."

Along with his last words, Sephiorth closed his eyes and began to cover himself in his wing then disappeared in black mist. Cloud then stored his Fusion Sword back on his shoulder and looked at the sky. "Before I could find my own light." He then turned and walked away to where Lightning and the others were "There's no way I would accept you as my darkness, Sephiroth."

_With Sora and Vanitas…_

**(The Eye of Darkness – KH3D)**

_'What the hell is he doing?!' _Vanitas thought while blocking Sora's cross slash with his Void Gear. Xemnas was supposed to be already done with unlocking the Keyhole of the World, but for more than thirty minutes, nothing happened except Vanitas kept making Sora busy _'I can't keep on like this either!'_

"Eat this!" Sora shouted while kicking Vanitas' gut as he was in his thoughts. Vanitas was sent toward the nearest cliff, but he managed to regain his balance on the air and glared the brunette with his yellow menacing eyes. "How do you like that, huh?" Sora mockingly asked, raising one of his Keyblades in triumphant as he already had the upper hand.

"Heh…" Vanitas suddenly smirked and pointed his arm at him. A dark energy formed on his hand and became bigger until as big as Vanitas himself. "What the..?!" Sora eyes widened as the next thing that he saw was a giant beam of darkness came from Vanitas' **Dark Cannon**.

Without wasting his time, Sora quickly reverted back into his normal form and shouted, "DEFEND!" A hexagonal patterned barrier then appeared and blocked the blast in milliseconds just before Sora could get caught by the massive energy blast. However, Vanitas' **Dark** **Cannon** was too powerful that made Sora kept struggling against the force of the energy by keeping his **Reflega** active as long as he could.

"So, who's the tough guy now eh?" Vanitas mockingly asked as he channeled more of his power which made the dark beam getting bigger and began to crack the barrier. _'Dammit! I have to think something! Or else…'_ Couldn't resist himself from the attack any longer as his energy kept draining, Sora accidentally let his **Reflega** barrier fade and gotten caught inside the blast. The gigantic beam of darkness kept trailing until hit the nearest cliff and made a huge explosion in contact. Vanitas watched in delight at the smokes and the crumbling rocks and laughed like a maniac as he already won "AH-HAHAHAHAHA, eat your own words! You weakling!"

Suddenly from the smokes from the explosion, many arrow shaped beams came onto the raven haired Keyblader from all direction. Surprised as he didn't expect the outcome, Vanitas was about to raise his Keyblade to cast **Aeroga **or** Reflega**, but he didn't expect the next thing that was coming as he was too distracted by the **Ragnarok** beam shots. Two pieces of ice projectiles suddenly hit his hand in high velocity and froze it instantly, making him unable to move his arm "Dammit! What the?!"

From inside the smoke, Sora in his Final Form with dual Ultima Weapons floating on his back rushed at his doppelganger. "Time to end your silly games!" With his enhanced power and speed, Sora pushed Vanitas with his Keyblades in cross stance, giving him a hard time to struggle back. Suddenly Sora spun his body which made Vanitas off balance and gave him a roundhouse kick followed by the **Ragnarok** beams that were meant to distract him for a moment. As the raven haired Keyblader fell followed by the arrow shaped beams, he finally fell on the ground as well took the impact all of the beams which caused a huge explosion. Thankfully they were very far from the escorted civilians so one saw what they' had done. **(End of The Eye of Darkness)**

"Did I get him?" Sora questioned himself as he landed near the smoke from the explosion. But when the smoke completely faded from the gust of the wind of the plains, Vanitas was nowhere to see. "He ran away? Talk about cowards…" He grunted as he reverted back to his normal form. _'But still… how did he exactly look same like me?'_ Placing his hand under his chin, Sora thought why Vanitas resembled him very much until he saw the Keyhole of the World glowing between the familiar crystallized l'Cie from distance.

"I guess that's my next objective then." The spiky brunette Keybearer then raised his Kingdom Key and pointed it at the Keyhole. A beam of light with arrowed shape began to form on the tip of the Keyblade and travelled through the air until it reached the Keyhole. As the _'CLICK'_ sound was heard from it, suddenly the two crystallized bodies began to glow from the light where the Keyhole was. Surprised but happy at the same time, Sora smiled as he already could guess what will happen next, "Well, a good ending needs to be shared together, right?"

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**Alright, a badass time for Amodar. Sorry if the fight scene wasn't too good.**

**Only 2 chapters left before this story ends. So please R&R as usual below :)**


	22. Chapter 22 : Better Tomorrow and Goodbye

**Heya readers. First of all, thanks for making this story has over 100 reviews! I truly couldn't express how grateful I am to all reviewers. Thank you for supporting this story so far. So... here is the 22nd chapter. Enjoy**

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As the light from the keyhole enveloped the two figures, Sora could clearly see them began to return from their crystal slumber from top of their head, face, neck, shoulder, and… bare skinned upper chest? Realizing that he was seeing **_"one of women private areas"_** a bit, Sora immediately turned around while covering his blushing face with both of his hands. _'Gosh! Good thing I didn't see it longer.'_ he thought as he kept standing while hiding his flustered face.

"Hey, what are ya doin kiddo?" A female voice asked him from behind. Sora knew that voice belonged to Fang, but he still thought that they didn't wear clothes, so he turned to face them with hands still covered his face, making both now awakened Oerban girls blinked in confusion.

"Umm Sora, are you okay?" Vanille raised one of her eyebrow then went to see the spiky brunette's face "Why are you covering your face like that?"

Feeling the rising temperature up his face along with faster heartbeat, Sora tried to gather all of his guts to answer it.

"W-well, i-it's because you are…" However he didn't dare to finish his answer. Fang raised her eyebrow in confusion before she and Vanille finally realized what he meant to say and burst into laughter.

"Y-you want to say naked?!" Fang asked him back while holding her stomach in laugh for his almost perverted thought "Oh my, that's the funniest thing I ever heard since I was living in Oerba for years." The raven haired woman then managed to calm herself as she wiped her teary eyes from the laugh "Wipe that dirty thought from your head and see by yourself, kiddo!"

Fang then grabbed his hands and forcefully moved them aside. At first Sora was shocked, but then he realized that her words were right as he felt his temperature suddenly plummeted down and his heartbeat back to normal. The two Oerban girls that now stood before him were in their usual clothes. Fang in her blue sari and double bladed folding spear strapped on her back and Vanille was in her usual outfit with her ethnical bracelets and necklaces and her folding rod strapped on her waist. "Finally back to reality, eh?"

"Whoa! Sorry about that, it's just… when I saw you two back to normal, well you were…"

"Not wearing any clothes?" Vanille said while looking at Sora's face closer with her usual smile which somehow made Sora felt a bit nervous, especially at her direct answer. She then backed away and crossed her arms with a bit but looked cute serious face "Only until we were fully awakened you know."

Sora then looked down and scratched his head in embarrassment before he looked the two again with apologizing face "Um… really sorry about that."

"Well whatever happened, happened." Fang shrugged before she noticed that Sora was the only person there "Say… where are the others, kiddo?"

_With Lightning and the others_

The pink haired soldier along with her younger sister and her friends (and brother in law wannabe as well) rushed along the plains of Gran Pulse. Ignoring the citizens that were escorted by the PSICOM or Guardian Corps, they finally made it to the place where Cloud was fighting before.

"Lightning! Look!" Serah exclaimed then pointed her finger at the familiar spiky blonde person who was leaning on the nearby rock with his Fusion Sword planted near him, feeling exhausted and grasped for the air due of **Descent Heartless Angel**. "Cloud!" Without wasting any time, Lightning quickly approached the blond SOLDIER and knelt to check his condition "You're okay?"

"A bit tired I guess…" Cloud nonchalantly answered her while looking at the sky before he looked at her face again. Cloud's eyes widened a bit because Lightning didn't show her usual straight soldier face, but this time she actually showed concern and relieve on her face. Lightning then began to grab his shoulder and his chest.

"You should never push yourself like that…" Lightning said as she helped him stood again. She then looked at the Fusion Sword that was planted on the ground for a while and looked at NORA leader "Snow, pull that sword out. If Cloud is able to wield it, then you should be able too, right?" She asked with a challenging tone.

"Come on sis, you know me better than…" Snow was about to pull the Fusion Sword, but for his surprise the sword didn't budge even a bit "What the?! This thing is heavy!"

The trench coat self-proclaimed hero kept trying to pull it with all of his strength, but only resulted him gritted his teeth and sweated a lot, which somehow made him looked like a clown for the others. Hope, Dajh and Serah couldn't help but laugh at the scene while Sazh only gave him a pitying look. Seeing how hopeless Snow was, Cloud slowly regained his strength and gently moved Lightning hands away before approached him "Here, let me to do it."

Only with one hand, Cloud easily pulled the Fusion Sword and spun it for a moment before he stored it back as it was nothing. Snow could only watch in agape with eyes widened, how could in the earth that someone who was definitely shorter than him had a strength to move a gigantic broadsword with ease as it was a feather? He definitely needed to ask him someday what kind of training and exercise that this man had been gone through. Being the hero (in his own perspective) he had to be a great figure for NORA and the people who will live on the new earth.

Cloud then looked around, noticing that they were one man short there "Where's Sora?"

"Heya guys!" A familiar voice called them from distance, making all of them turned toward the familiar spiky brunette who was running while waving his hands at them. However their eyes widened at the two figures that followed him from behind. It was none other than Fang and Vanille.

"Fang and…" Lightning said, still gaping at the sight.

"Vanille?" Hope continued, couldn't believe with what he saw.

Without thinking twice, all of them except Cloud ran at the two and embraced each other in a big hug full of happiness for seeing each other again. For a moment, they thought that Fang and Vanille had sacrificed themselves for good, but they wrong. But let's just leave them with their happy reunion okay?

"So… no big hug for me Cloud?" Sora asked, putting his hands behind his head as usual.

Cloud only looked him with stoic face "I thought you told me to not treating you like a kid, didn't you?" he answered with a flat tone.

"Awww man, you're really a robot you know…" Sora slumped in disappointment, making Cloud sighed but smiled a bit as he looked at his childish behavior.

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"So you guys are really from another world?" Fang asked, crossing her arms at the two with Vanille, Lightning and the others beside her. After everything that had been happened, they knew that sooner or later they had to tell them the truth about the existence of the other worlds. Usually that's against the law since they should kept it a secret for the order of the worlds, but after everything that they had been through together Sora thought it would be okay to tell them the truth.

"That's right." Sora nodded then apologetically scratched his head, "Sorry for not telling you earlier Fang."

"Nah." Fang waved her hands as she already knew the answer that they would receive, "That's okay. Maybe if you told us in the first place, we might think that you guys were crazy or what."

Cloud arched his eyebrow at their reaction "You know what? You seem taking this easily as this isn't something usual or strange for you."

Hearing his words, Lightning crossed her arms "After everything that had been happened, that wouldn't be strange anymore for us."

"I had to admit it." Sazh said, agreed with Light's words, "I mean look at us now, standing in the middle of the place that we feared before as hell that actually just a total bogus story created by the fal'Cie."

"But now you guys already saw the reality behind it and opened the people's eyes, right?" Sora asked, "The thing that you thought was impossible before and now you actually did it."

However as he finished his words, two beams of light from their Gummi Ship suddenly appeared behind them. "I guess we'll have to part from here." Cloud said as he looked at the teleportation beams.

"You're leaving?" Hope asked with a bit of sadness in his voice, "Can't you stay longer with us? At least until we rebuild our new home?"

Sora shook his head "I'm afraid that we can't Hope." But then he faced the silver haired teen with a big grin on his face, "But this doesn't mean goodbye. Once I finish my job, we'll come to visit you again, right Cloud?" he said as he playfully nudged the blonde haired SOLDIER.

"And what do you mean by _we_, Sora?" Cloud frowned, crossing his arms in annoyance. Seeing how Cloud acted stoic and cold at the outside but warm in the inside somehow made Lightning reminded him with her old self. _'They are just like how I and Snow acted to each other before.'_ She then chuckled a bit at the thought. Fortunately no one seemed to notice her.

"Still shy as usual eh?" Sora shrugged at his reaction before he looked at the group, bidding their farewell, "We better leave now. Thanks for the help, everyone."

"We should be the ones who say that." Serah said as she held Light's arm, "Because of you, I finally can reunite again with my sister."

Lightning nodded "Exactly what she said. And don't worry, your secrets about being from another world and the existence of the other worlds are safe with us."

As the teleportation beams engulfed the two spiky haired heroes, they began to dissipate and lifted off from the ground toward their Gummi Ship. However just before they completely vanished, Snow raised his fist at Sora "Hey Sora! Remember our postponed match? Once we finish building the New Bodhum, let's make it up with arm wrestling!"

"And when you come again. I'll show you one or two tricks of my boomerang skill." Hope said as he waved his hand.

"I'm looking forward for it guys!" Sora replied, waving his hands in goodbye. Meanwhile Lightning and Cloud didn't say anything. Instead she crossed her arms and looked him with a soft smile formed on her lips. Cloud only glanced at her and did the same before both of them finally disappeared in the beams of light, finally transported inside the Gummi Ship that waited them at the atmosphere of the world.

Everyone then looked above and found a single bright star which was none other than the lamps from the Gummi Ship flew away in the high speed, making it looked like a falling star except the star was flying away instead falling down. Serah then looked her sister with a bit sadness on her face "Sis, why didn't you say goodbye?"

However as Lightning turned to her sister, she gave her a tender smile "Knowing Cloud, he will come again when the time comes Serah. Now he has his own Focus to be fulfilled just like us before."

Hearing Lightning's answer, the younger Farron arched her eyebrow and put her hands on her sides while giving her a questioning look "Hey, who said that I only talked about **_'that blonde guy'_**? I meant both of them, sis."

Realizing what she had just said, the pink haired soldier quickly looked away to hide her blushing face while making an excuse "Uh yeah. I mean Cloud and Sora, Serah."

Seeing her flustered face really made Fang's day. She then suddenly got an idea as an imaginary light bulb appeared near her head. As Fang chuckled at her naughty idea, she approached the Farron sisters. "Ya won't believe when ya hear me, Serah. But I… no! I mean we had listened her confession to that Blondie. For real!"

Serah then covered her mouth in excitement, while the same thing didn't happen to Light whose face now red in embarrassment and anger from Fang's loudmouth. Judging from her trembling hands, everyone (even us) could tell that she would like to give Fang a good jab for spilling the moment when they were alone.

"Oh... I didn't know that…" Serah covered her mouth then hugged her sister in happiness despite the fact that she was in very urge to beat up someone, "You finally have found your own hero Lightning. I'm so happy for you sis."

Seeing her happy face made Light had no choice but to resist her anger in front of her, but still…

"Serah… could you please leave us for a while?" Lightning asked as she gently pushed her aside.

"Ah, okay." as she released her embrace and went back to Snow, blood seemed to drain from Fang's face as she turned pale at Lightning's current state. Lightning now gave her stoic face as usual at the blue sari clothed woman, but Fang could swear that she saw a fiery red aura behind Lightning that shaped like an Ifrit fire summon which made her sweating a lot.

"H-hey sunshine, look I was just kidding so…" She thought for an excuse, but Light cut her off.

"You know that eavesdropping and taking a peek of someone's private thing aren't good things to do. Right, Fang?" She said in her now venomous voice as she cracked her fists, ready to give her a lesson in life physically...

"_(Gulp)_ Whoa! Hey! I wasn't the only one who saw that, remember?" Fang gulped, raised her hands to defend herself before looking the others with panicked face "You guys don't just stand there will ya?! You saw and heard their lovey-dovey conversation too, didn't you?!"

Everyone except Serah just whistled while averting their gaze to somewhere else like they didn't know anything about what Fang was talking about which made Fang upset. But she quickly turned back to face Lightning with murderous aura, ready to give her a gift for spilling the beans in front of Serah.

_'I'm so screwed!'_ She thought before running for her life as Lightning chased her like how Donald usually chased Huey, Louie, and Dewey when they pulled pranks to their uncle. It was a very funny sight that made everyone laughed for their actions, especially Serah.

"_(Giggle)_ Fang never learns to not spilling the beans as usual." Vanille said as she put her arms on her sides.

"Hahah, I can see that Vanille, but still…" Snow then crossed his arms as he didn't laugh anymore and looked at the two with a smile, "To think that sis finally found her own hero..."

"Everyone will meet their own destined couple, Snow." Serah added, now holding Snow's arm and looked his face with a smile, "Just like us, right?"

"Yep. But I think we should postpone our wedding plan till they finally stop, Serah."

Everything finally ended as they wanted to be. Sora finally locked the Keyhole of the world, Cloud gotten rid his nemesis for now… and Lightning could reunite again with her sister, and Snow, well he finally got a blessing from Light to marry Serah, Sazh reunited again with his son, and Hope learnt something important about how he would carve his own future. And top of all, Fang and Vanille could finally live on to see the new future of Gran Pulse and maybe Oerba too. But what would wait them in the future of their new world, or was their world truly safe from Xehanort's further intervention? At least for now, the situation in Gran Pulse finally calmed down after the delusion and fakes that the fal'Cie created, thus giving the people inside Cocoon the truth behind the most hellish place that they always thought before.

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**Do you think this is the last chapter? Think again! What will happen with the baddies, especially Pete after this? Wait for the epilogue for the other characters to find out more!**

**Sorry if the ending is kinda crappy.**

**Review please :)**


	23. Chapter 23 : Epilogue

**Finally an epilogue for what happened after the duo's journey in Gran Pulse. Once again thanks for everyone who have read, followed, favorited, and reviewed this story.**

**So here's the epilogue, enjoy.**

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_Somewhere unknown and dark…_

"You failed AGAIN?!" Maleficent's angry voice echoed through the room. She was standing before the now stuttered _not so mighty_ Captain Pete with trembling hands and legs and sweating a lot, fear to face the wrath of the witch "You imbecile! How many times did you fail in your task, you incompetent fool? Even a chimpanzee could do this simple job!"

Pete was too intimidated with her glare and her glowing magic staff, he knew that one wrong step, and he would end up in the same prison or worse. Sweating and trying to be reasonable, Pete raised his finger "B-but Maleficent, I was able to uhhh…" he thought for an excuse as he scratched his head.

"You didn't accomplish anything, you fool!" Maleficent then aimed her staff and fired a green flame which was barely hit the ex-steamboat captain and hit the wall instead, leaving a huge hole on the wall along with the terrified big cat. "Now thanks to you, Sora had sealed another keyhole of the world!"

"M-Maleficent, p-please give me another chance." Pete groveled before the horned witch, begging for a mercy "I'll do everything for you. I will clean your room… nonono! All the rooms including the windows, and I'll even clean your shoes, and feed Diablo."

"Silence!" Maleficent shouted making Pete talked no more. As she looked at the round magical table, an imaginary view of Sora who was controlling the Gummi ship while Cloud stood beside him, crossing his arms appeared from it. Maleficent then looked at the two while rubbing her chin, thinking for another plan in her head. _'This is very serious. If Sora locks more worlds even the undiscovered ones, slowly but sure Xehanort's plans will be foiled.'_

"Very well then…" She said as she turned back to face the still frightened cat "I'll give you another chance. But this time don't fail me!"

Hearing her forgiveness was just like hearing a boss who gives his employees one week day off for Pete. His terrified face quickly turned into happy and he stood up then saluted her just like a soldier does to his superior "Your orders ma'am!"

"Humph. Well then, here's your new task…"

"I'm listening madam!"

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_Castle That Never Was – The Altar of Naught_

Master Xehanort was standing in the middle of the open area, looking at the night sky which seemed would never turn into morning sunshine. Two portal of darkness then appeared behind him, revealing none other than Xemnas, and Young Xehanort.

"So… How it is going?" The bald goateed man asked as he turned to face the two with a disappointed face "I assume that both of you failed, right? I don't see either of you with Sora here."

Xemnas looked down in embarrassment while clenching his fists. If it wasn't because of Riku, he would've succeeded in bringing a compensation for their master. On the other hand, Young Xehanort kept a straight face while looking at his older self "Our apologies Xehanort, but we found some useful information for you."

Hearing his reply, he old man's face turned back into his usual evil smile "That's good, just after Ansem told me interesting information, now you have the same thing for me too." Master Xehanort replied as he rubbed his goatee "So… what do you have to tell me about hmmm?"

"Well… when Vanitas took over my body for a while, we've found that Sora could transform into a darkness being, similar just like a heartless. Also… it seems that this happens only when Sora was overwhelmed by his negative emotion, thus feeding his inner darkness and let it consumes him."

Master Xehanort's eyes widened in excitement upon hearing his explanation, after the information about Cloud who couldn't accept his own darkness manifestation, now he knew that Sora would involuntary let himself to be consumed by his own darkness as long he experienced painful things and Xehanort knew very well how to do that. "Interesting indeed… Perhaps we can't let him away with it… yet." He finished with a smirk formed on his lips.

Confused with what their master had said, Xehanort stepped forward "Then what should we do now, Master Xehanort?"

The bald man simply summoned a portal of darkness and walked inside before glancing at the two "We will wait. Wait until the fruit is ripe enough to be harvested." With that he disappeared inside the portal, leaving the two in confusion.

"There's nothing to do here anymore…" Young Xehanort said as he snapped his finger, summoning the portal of darkness right behind him. As he turned back to enter the portal, he glanced at the Superior in Between "I'll be in library if you need me."

Now Xemnas was the only one left, stood in the middle of the Altar of Naught. He looked at the night sky with crossed arms, but then suddenly an image of someone flashed inside his head. The person was a short blue haired woman with blue eyes who wore a black and blue, high-collared halter top with two pink, intersecting belts over her chest, and black shorts and white bell-sleeves and tan fingerless gloves and black stockings. She also wore blue cloth that covered her sides and a pair of armored heels. The woman was smiling at him from his point of view and showed three star shaped trinkets which came in blue, green, and orange color.

_"…you and I have our Mark of Mastery exams tomorrow. I made us good luck charms. Here!" _She said as she handed the Wayfinder to one of her friends or Xemnas from what he was seeing_._

"Hrrrrrrnnggh!" Clutching his head from the pain of the sudden memories, Xemnas fell on his knee. Somehow he didn't understand how he saw things like this. Who was this woman? Had he ever met her from somewhere? And why were the place and the scene that he saw so familiar for him?

_'What… what was that?'_ He thought as he tried to stand again and walked down the ladders _'Those aren't my memories… Could it be his? But no way…'_ Couldn't think for any possible answers, Xemnas decided to let it slide for now as he summoned a portal of darkness and went inside.

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_Inside the Shera_

Riku was leaning against the wall while Cid kept steering the control of the ship. He was glad that he managed to keep a low profile while keeping an eye on Sora. Bored with the silence along their trip, Cid decided to break the ice.

"So where are goin next, eh?"

Riku then thought for a moment, deciding where to go next until he turned at the blond pilot "Well Cid. If you don't mind, I'd like to drop by Twilight Town then."

"Twilight Town you say?" Cid eyes then blinked in confusion "Never heard that before, kid. Care to tell me how it looks?"

Hearing his reply, Riku slapped his temple. So Cid never knew where the Twilight Town located before? Sighing, he walked toward the device that looked like a digital map or something and pointed a world that shaped like a giant clock tower with a bell on the each side and a running tram below it. "This is the Twilight Town Cid."

"So that's the Twilight Town eh? Okay then… uploading the coordinates and… done!"

_ENTERING THE HYPERSPACE WITHIN THIRTY SECONDS. NOW ACTIVATING THE GUMMI GRAVIMETRIC WARP DRIVE…_

As the loudspeaker spoke, Cid walked away from his control deck and sat in his pilot seat then tightened his safety belts. "Better do the same as me kid, unless you want to vomit when we arrive."

Riku then did the same as he told to and sat on his own seat then fasten his belts. As the digital counter on the monitor reached zero, suddenly Riku felt a massive turbulence inside the whole ship that made him shocked, however Cid didn't look shocked at all as this wasn't something big. Noticing the uneasiness of the silver haired teen, the blond pilot turned his head toward him "Relax kid, you will get used with this."

"Ah… okay then." Riku nodded as he closed his eyes to make himself relaxed. At the same time, the ship suddenly moved in a lightning speed that made it looked like disappeared from the space, jumping through the hyperspace warp drive to reach their destination: Twilight Town.

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_Inside Sora's Gummi Ship_

"That was very awesome thing that we ever saw, right Cloud?" Sora asked while steering the Gummi ship. Ever since leaving the Gran Pulse, along with the crystallized Cocoon, he couldn't help but think about how awesome it was when he saw Fang and Vanille turned into a massive beast Ragnarok and stopped the falling giant sphere by encased it inside a giant crystal pillar. On the other hand though, Cloud didn't seem paid attention at his story as he was leaning against the wall while closing in eyes in deep thought.

_'Don't you think it's already over Cloud. As long as you can't accept your darkness, I'll always come back.'_

Sephiroth's last words still echoed inside his mind which made him a bit troubled. Was that meaning he would come again? Waiting for him in somewhere while brought another disaster to the innocent people?

"Hello? Earth to Cloud! Are you there?"

Realizing that Sora was calling him, Cloud opened his eyes and looked at the spiky brunette who was snickering after he called him with a pun about earth and heaven.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Whops, nothing really. Sorry Cloud." Sora replied, scratching his head before he looked the blond SOLDIER with a naughty grin on his face which earned him a glare from Cloud.

"Now what's with that face?"

"Nothing." He replied while turning his seat to face him "I was thinking that you had a thing for Aerith, Cloud. But looks like I was wrong about that."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh come on Cloud. You have to admit that your princess is Lightning, right?" Now Cloud was taken aback with his answer as Sora tried to remember anything that could be counted as romantic for them. He then raised his finger after finally found the answer "For example like… how you carried her after you rescued her from the Dark Thorn heartless."

Cloud only huffed and crossed his arms at his words "Whatever you want to say Sora."

"Still shy as ever…" Sora said as he turned his pilot seat back. He then noticed the familiar world nearby or the world where he learnt about the existence of Gran Pulse in the first place "Hey, that's Radiant Garden." He then turned his head at Cloud again "Want me to drop you there, Cloud?"

Cloud then walked beside him while examining the possible landing places, he then pointed at one image that showed a place filled with crystal walls and cliffs everywhere "The Crystal Fissure. I have the unfinished business there."

"Aye-aye sir." With one button pushed by his finger, a column of light surrounded Cloud's body as he began to dissipate, ready to be teleported to Crystal Fissure. But what was his purpose of going there? Did he want to go to the Dark Depths where he had his fight with Sephiroth before?

"Hey. If you meet Leon and the others, tell them I said hi, okay?"

The blond SOLDIER only nodded while smiling a bit before he completely vanished from the ship's interior. Now finally alone, Sora couldn't help but think how he was still weak and unable to resist his own darkness. Letting himself to be transformed into Anti Form was a prime example and that was the main reason why he failed in his Mark of Mastery exam. As Sora pulled the lever switch that changed the ship into Auto-Pilot mode, he rose up from his seat and crossed his arms, entering the serious thinking mode.

"I still can't hold off my own darkness." He said before sighing in defeat "At this rate, there's no way I would be able to face Xehanort. What should I do now?"

As he questioned himself, the world map indicator lamp blinked, notifying the nearby world on the sight.

"Another world? What could it be…" Before Sora could finish his words, his eyes widened in disbelieve. The world that he saw on the monitor was a total wasteland with nothing but dirt and sands. However the most noticeable feature from the world was the countless Keyblades in many shapes that planted on the ground like the post war swords left from the fallen soldiers and knights. Rubbing his eyes to make sure whether he was hallucinating or not, the spiky brunette opened his eyes and found that world was real. The Keyblade Graveyard

"What's this? I've never seen this world before…" Sweating from the terrifying sight of the world, Sora embraced himself and activated landing teleportation beam to set a foot there. "But still… I better take a look at this." _'And why does this place somehow seem familiar to me? Have I ever been here before?'_ He thought as his body began to dematerialize inside the teleportation beam.

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_Gran Pulse – Vallis Media_

"Strange kupo…" The merchant Moogle, Mog who had set his synthesize shop wondered. Ever since he met Lightning, Hope, Vanille, Fang, Snow, and Sazh he hadn't seen his top customers aka Sora, Donald, and Goofy yet, instead he could only feel the soft blow of the wind and a dried bush that blown over by the wind in front of him. Sweatdropping since nobody came to buy or even to take a look at his stuff, Mog finally made a decision.

"Ah well, maybe I should back to Traverse Town, kupo. At least Neku and his friends could make a good deal for me, kupo." The Moogle said as he packed his things back.

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**Poor Mog at the end. So did enjoy the whole story? I hope so.**

**See ya in my next story when I have the new ideas.**

**Again, thanks for everyone who have read, reviewed, followed, and favorited this story. You guys are rock and have my deepest gratitude :)**


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